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Dehumidifiers are incredibly effective at removing moisture from the surrounding air. However, it’s easy to forget that the secret to that effectiveness is the dehumidifier’s built-in fan. So, what do you do if the dehumidifier fan is not working?
Your dehumidifier fan won’t work if the fan blades or blower wheel is jammed with a foreign object. Besides that, a worn-out fan motor or damaged wiring can also cause the same problem. If those parts are in excellent condition, then it’s likely a failed moisture sensor that’s preventing the fan from turning on in the first place.
A dehumidifier becomes a lot less efficient when its fan isn’t working. So, this guide will help you understand what’s causing the problem and how to sort it out quickly.
Why Isn’t My Dehumidifier Fan Working?
Here are the 4 reasons your dehumidifier fan will stop working, plus what you can do to fix the problem and get it running again:
Fan Blade Or Blower Wheel Jammed
About this: Depending on your dehumidifier brand and model, it uses either fan blades or a blower wheel. Both have the same purpose: to draw air into the unit so the dehumidifier can remove moisture and dry the air.
Whether your dehumidifier has a blower or fan blade, it’s housed in a part of the unit with open slits. Those slits are spaced in such a way that protects your fingers from injury while still allowing air to flow through easily.
What’s happened: The first reason your dehumidifier fan isn’t working is there’s a foreign object jammed inside of it. When that happens, the fan blades or blower wheel can’t turn, no matter how hard the motor tries.
That foreign object could be anything that’s hard enough to maintain its shape when pushed by the fan. For example, a piece of cardboard or a pencil might have fallen from above and gotten trapped inside the unit.
How to fix it: Firstly, inspect the fan closely with a flashlight to confirm that there’s a foreign object jamming it. Then, disconnect the unit so you can remove that object safely.
Once the item is freed and you’re sure nothing else is stuck inside, turn the dehumidifier back on, and the fan will turn normally.
Read: 5 Reasons Causing Dehumidifier Not Working Properly
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Loose Or Damaged Wires
About this: The fan inside your dehumidifier is powered by a fan motor. That motor is electrically powered, which means it has wiring connecting it to the appliance’s control board and power supply.
The wires must be connected firmly on both sides to ensure that power can flow as needed to the fan.
What’s happened: Assuming the fan is in good working condition, another problem that can prevent it from working is loose or damaged wires.
Remember: each wire has two connections: one at the fan motor and the other at the control board or power source inside the dehumidifier.
The wires could become loose if they weren’t attached firmly in the first place. Besides that, the vibrations from the dehumidifier’s operation can also cause them to become loose over an extended period.
However, electrical faults like power surges and short circuits can cause the wires to overheat and burn. That will also prevent the fan from working.
How to fix it: Firstly, you’ll have to inspect all wiring that connects the fan to the rest of the dehumidifier. The wires must be attached firmly on both ends and be free from damage.
Any wires that are burned, torn, ripped, or have holes in them must be replaced with new ones. Damaged wires are no longer safe or reliable for use in your dehumidifier.
Read: Why Dyson Humidifier Not Using Water?
Worn Out Fan Motor
About this: The heart of any dehumidifier fan is the fan motor, regardless of if it uses fan blades or a blower wheel. The motor provides the power needed to turn the fan blades or blower and get the air flowing through the dehumidifier.
Without a functioning fan motor, the dehumidifier won’t be able to lower the surrounding humidity effectively.
What’s happened: The fan motor in your dehumidifier has likely failed. That can happen for several reasons, including the ones listed above.
For example, the fan motor will experience excessive wear if the fan blades or blower wheel is jammed. As the motor keeps trying to turn the fan, it’ll eventually wear out.
Besides that, old age and electrical faults (e.g. power surges) can also cause the motor to stop working.
How to fix it: Unfortunately, the fan motor in your dehumidifier is not repairable. So, once you’ve confirmed that the fan motor is to blame, the only practical solution is to remove it and install one that works.
Read: How To Reset Vicks Humidifier?
Faulty Humidity Sensor
About this: One of the most crucial components of a dehumidifier is the humidity sensor. As the name suggests, this component measures the air’s humidity levels. The appliance will use that sensor’s data to decide whether it should turn on the fan.
For example, when the humidity levels are too high, the dehumidifier will turn on its fan to draw more air inside. Conversely, it’ll shut the fan off when the sensor finds that humidity levels are already low enough.
What’s happened: The final reason your dehumidifier fan isn’t working is that the humidity sensor has failed. If this is the case, that means the fan motor and its blades or blower wheel are not to blame.
The humidity sensor likely failed because of excess wear. That’s especially true if you’ve been using the dehumidifier continuously for many years.
However, if the unit is still relatively new, the sensor likely failed because of a short circuit or other electrical faults.
How to fix it: The humidity sensor is another component that can’t be serviced or repaired. So, once you’ve ruled out all other possibilities and have confirmed that the sensor is the root cause, you’ll have to buy a new one to use in your appliance.
You can be extra sure of this by testing the sensor with a
Read: How To Clean Vicks Humidifier?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are a few more questions about dehumidifier fans that you might find helpful in your troubleshooting process:
What Does A Dehumidifier Fan Do?
The dehumidifier fan is responsible for drawing air into the dehumidifier. The airflow produced by the fan helps the unit remove moisture from the surrounding air more effectively.
Does A Fan Help Dehumidify A Room?
Fans by themselves do not have any impact on your room’s humidity levels. Instead, the combination of a fan and the coils inside the dehumidifier makes them so effective at bringing humidity levels down.
Should A Dehumidifier Fan Run All The Time?
The dehumidifier fan only needs to run when your room has high humidity levels. Once the humidity levels are low enough, the fan can switch to a slow speed or turn off temporarily. This is typically done automatically by the dehumidifier.
Should I Run My Dehumidifier Fan On Low Or High?
You can keep your dehumidifier fan running on low to maintain a reasonable humidity level in your room. However, you should switch the fan to high speed if the air is exceptionally moist.
Should You Use A Fan With A Dehumidifier?
Yes, you should use a fan with a dehumidifier. Combining those two parts effectively removes moisture from the surrounding air.
