Dehumidifiers are an essential part of every home with a sole purpose of keeping the living environment optimally humid during those hot summer season days. Knowing how to clean a dehumidifier properly is important.
The fundamental operating principle of these functional devices is their ability to draw particles of water from room air and provide comfortable dwelling experience.
Without using them in arid climates, hot surrounding air can make the human skin too dry which can cause some unpleasant health-related issues. Seeing how a dehumidifier works with moisture, it is only natural that regular maintenance is a must to prevent the growth of unwanted particles inside of it.
These machines are known for being mostly free from needing repairs and adjustments although occasional check-ups are highly advisable. This handy guide will help you understand the basics of dehumidifier cleaning procedures and teach you what you need to know to maintain it on your own.
Procedures - How to Clean a Dehumidifier
While it may seem like it is a complicated device, even the best dehumidifier for a basement is made using a small number of parts that are very easy to maintain and keep in perfect working order. We will focus our attention on allowing the major components to be in great working shape and thus explain how to manage them as best as possible. Such practice will prolong your device’s operating life and also prevent harmful bacteria and other particles from inhibiting the insides of the apparatus which is essential to good health.
Cleaning the filters involves making sure that there are no clogs of dust jamming the air intake and outlet exhaust openings. Spotting these issues is easy with a simple visual inspection that will reveal the possible problems.
If you notice the fine carpet like mesh of particles between the vent grills on either front or top air vents, be sure to take them out and clean them thoroughly. You can easily remove these protective intake filters since most of them feature an easy to use release mechanism. After that proceed to vacuum them or use the stream of warm tap water to remove all of the dirt and grime. Always make sure that they are dry after maintenance before placing them back into the device! Read the user manual that came with your device to learn when the time comes for the complete filter replacement. They were not meant to be long lasting so be sure to follow the manufacturers filter replacement policies.
Water collection tank checkups and cleaning require users to disinfect it from time to time entirely. Depending on the size of the unit it sometimes involves complete removal from the dehumidifier to perform a complete cleanup.
Be sure to disconnect your device from the power outlet and make sure that it is completely turned off before proceeding. You can use cleaning solutions like detergents and warm water to clean the tank and remove any traces of unwanted residue.
After you finish up the treatment with chemicals, you can use pure alcohol to remove invisible specks of mold and bacteria that might occupy the inner surface area. Once everything dries up, you can put it back in and continue using your device worry free for up to 6 months until the next complete cleanup.
Outer shell maintenance is equally important since it needs and relies on the exposure to the surrounding environmental Most of the dust, dirt and mold particles accumulate on the outer surface of air vents, back, and underside of the dehumidifier. They can stay dormant and slowly and invisibly spread to the inner parts without the owners ever noticing. It is a good practice to keep your device’s outer surface as clean as possible especially if you keep your windows open for ventilation. Pollen, dust, and allergens easily get inside the dehumidifier via the air intake system and from there spread onto the water tank and multiply due to the moisture. Be sure to clean outer surfaces more often to prevent any possible health concerns like allergies and respiratory system issues.
The specific optimal usage scenario is different for every model yet there is a standard procedure that can ensure that your dehumidifier operates for a long time without a single sign of malfunction. To prevent issues and damage, we suggest setting your device to a humidity setting between forty and sixty percent for most of its operating time. Doing so and following already mentioned maintenance work will help you avoid calling the repair service anytime soon!
Conclusion
It is a well-known fact that almost every device going through everyday work requires some degree of checkups to keep functioning properly. Sometimes it is advisable to perform a visual inspection on the end of every month to spot possible issues that might seem insignificant at first and yet can cause severe damage. In the case of dehumidifier cleaning, it is for the best to keep it in the best condition possible especially since its performance closely ties to human health. This short how to clean a dehumidifier guide will make you perform all the necessary work all by yourself and ensure that your device keeps running great for years to come.
