How does a dehumidifier work?

A dehumidifier is an appliance that removes moisture from the air inside a room or basement, making it more comfortable.

Moist air enters the dehumidifier and crosses refrigerant-cooled coils, causing the moisture in the air to condense on coils within the machine. The moisture then collects in a drip pan or bucket for disposal, while the air passes through a warm condenser or heat recovery coil. The slightly warmed air exiting the dehumidifier is dry and warm.

Three things cause the dehumidifier to turn off:

• The dehumidifier has a humidity control that you can set to regulate the amount of humidity removed from the air. When the dryness level is achieved, the dehumidifier turns off.

• The dehumidifier turns off when the moisture collection bucket is full. The bucket must be removed and emptied before the unit will operate again.

• The dehumidifier uses a de-ice control to turn off the cooling unit if the electronic control detects ice on the coils. After the ice melts, the dehumidifier turns back on.