Why Is My Dehumidifier Blowing Cold Air? 7 Common Reasons!

People using a dehumidifier may notice that the appliance is blowing cold air. When this happens, they rush to the internet and search, “why is my dehumidifier blowing cold air?”

There is no need to worry, as this is perfectly normal behavior for a dehumidifier. Here, we will explain the reasons why your dehumidifier is blowing cold air.

Why Is My Dehumidifier Blowing Cold Air? 7 Most Common Reasons

People use dehumidifiers to remove moisture from the air. This can be helpful in reducing mold and mildew, as well as easing allergy symptoms.

But what happens when your dehumidifier starts blowing cold air?

Imagine how it feels when you invest in a unit, set it up, and turn it on. In return, only to find that the machine is now blowing cold air instead of decreasing the room’s humidity.

It can be frustrating and inconvenient when your dehumidifier starts blowing cold air.

If this has happened to you, don’t worry. There are a few possible explanations for “why is my dehumidifier blowing cold air?”

They will surely help you to find out the reason so you can decide on a suitable solution.

1. Due To Frozen Coils:

Dehumidifiers generally work through coils. Therefore, if the coils become frozen for any reason, they will not be able to condense any more water.

As a result, your dehumidifier will start blowing out cold air. This can happen due to several reasons. For instance, if the room temperature is very low, it can cause the coils to freeze.

Also, because of high humidity levels, the coils in a dehumidifier can freeze up.

Or, if you have placed your unit too close to an air conditioner, the cold air from AC can also lead to frozen coils. Further, any issue with the refrigerant can also result in frozen coils.

So when your coils get frozen (the reason could be any), it prevents the unit from working and can cause cold air.

The most obvious solution is to shut off your dehumidifier until the coils have thawed. Once they are thawed, you can use your dehumidifier again.

2. Due To Unit’s Fan:

It’s possible that your dehumidifier is set to “fan only” mode. In this mode, the dehumidifier will circulate air without removing moisture.

To check if this is the case, consult your owner’s manual. Then, look for a setting that says “fan only” or something similar. If you see such a setting, be sure to switch it off.

In addition to that, a fan inside the machine pulls in humid air, which then passes over a set of coils.

Refrigerant gas works to cool these coils which causes the water vapor in the air to condense on them.

The now-damp air passes over the second set of coils (the evaporator coils). So it warms up the air and helps circulate it back into the room.

Thus, the fan works to pull in and push out the air inside the unit. If coils get damaged or frozen, they stop doing their job. When this happens, the unit will no longer be able to remove moisture from the air.

As a result, only the fan will be working to circulate the air, and you will feel cold air coming out from the machine.

3. A Unit Is Low On Freon:

A unit’s coils work with refrigerant. They help to take the moisture out of the air and into the coils.

Freon is the refrigerant that helps the coils in your unit remove moisture from the air. If your unit is low on Freon, it will no longer be able to remove moisture effectively.

The reason is through Freon; your coils are able to change the unit’s air.

If there isn’t enough Freon in the coils, then the unit won’t be able to take the moisture out of the air . As a result, will start blowing out cold air.

So Freon is necessary for the coils to remove moisture from the air. You can check to see if your unit is low on Freon by checking the coils.

If your dehumidifier is low on Freon, you’ll need to have it refilled by a professional.

Moreover, leaking gas can also be the reason behind low Freon levels. If you think there may be a leak, it’s best to contact a professional to take a look at it.

4. Desired Humidity Has Reached:

One of the most common reasons a unit blow out cold air is because it has attained desired humidity.

If you have the unit set to run until the humidity reaches a certain level, and it does, the unit will shut off. When a running dehumidifier shuts off, it will not be able to pull the air.

The coils inside the dehumidifier will then start to sweat and condensate. This can cause the coolant in the coils to become very cold.

If you touch the coils and they are cold, this is most likely the reason why your unit is blowing out cold air.

Once the humidity rises again, the unit will turn back on and start running.

One way to tell if this is the problem is to check the humidistat. The humidistat is what tells the dehumidifier when to turn it on and off.

If the humidistat is set too low, the unit will constantly be turning on and off. This is because it tries to reach the desired humidity level by managing the air.

5. Temperature In The Room Is Too Low:

Temperature has a lot to do with why your dehumidifier is blowing out cold air. For the dehumidifier to work properly, the temperature in the room should be above 65 degrees.

If the room is too cold, the dehumidifier will take in cold air and blow out cold air.

Moreover, the ideal temperature for a unit to work is between 65-72 degrees Fahrenheit.

When the temperature in the room is lower than this, then it won’t be able to work as it should, so you will notice old air.

This is because the coils can actually freeze over. This will prevent the dehumidifier from being able to remove moisture. So it starts blowing cold air instead effectively.

In short, too low-temperature jams the dehumidifier. Here, cold and humid air keep circulating in the room without going through any process.

Also, the air comes out of the machine cold because that’s the temperature of the coils.

6. There Is Something Wrong With The Compressor:

If your unit’s coils are cold, but there is no frost or ice buildup, then the problem may be with the compressor.

Some dehumidifiers work through a process of condensation. This means that they take in the air from the room, cool it down, and then release it back into the room.

A compressor is a pump that is responsible for circulating the gas, i.e., Freon, throughout the unit.

Here, compressors work to cool the coils so that the Freon can evaporate and cool the air.

If your compressor has any issue, it will not be able to cool the coils properly. As a result, your dehumidifier cannot condense air moisture.

If you think this may be the problem, you’ll need to have a professional look at your unit.

7. The Defrost Setting May Be On:

Another reason why your unit might be blowing cold air is that you have turned on the defrost setting.

This setting is designed to prevent ice from forming on the coils. But it will also make the air coming out of the unit colder than usual.

When defrost settings are on, a unit stop removing moisture and turn off for some time.

A device turns off because the coils cannot remove as much moisture from the air after they have been iced over. However, a fan keeps running to circulate the air.

So when the fan blows air over frozen coils, the air will be cold. The coils will eventually defrost, and the dehumidifier will start working again, but this process can take a few hours.

Check if this is the problem, you can consult your user manual or look for a defrost setting on your control panel.

If you think this may be the problem, you can try turning off the defrost setting and see if that fixes the issue.

Conclusion:

Why is my dehumidifier blowing cold air? This is a common problem, and there are several reasons why it might be happening.

For instance, the coils in the dehumidifier can freeze up, especially if the room is very cold. Humidity settings and defrost or fan modes can also be a reason behind cold air.

Further, Freon, temperature and compressor may have an issue that causes cold air from a unit.

No matter what the reasons are, you should figure it out and solve the problem as soon as possible.

In some cases, you may be able to fix the problem yourself. However, you’ll need to call in a professional in other cases.