I have a Hunter dehum. circa 1988. Lately, except for the warmest of days, the coils freeze up. Is this a sign that the thing is losing its freon? I am looking for an excuse to replace it with a more energy-efficient model.
Thanks.
Low freon, or reduced air flow.
Some models have a temp sensor that shuts off the compressor if the coil starts to ice.
Buck,
The most common cause: A unit that is nearly 20 years old and has never been cleaned. Dirty fins=reduced air flow=icing. Google should help you locate many references to sites telling how to clean the unit. It is extremely easy.
Second most common cause: Low refrigerant due to a leak. This is often a cheap and easy problem to fix IF you have the equipment and knowledge to do the repair. However, paying a pro to fix it is going to be a waste of money. You certainly own an R-12 unit, and the retail cost of having the Freon-12 installed is a great down payment on a new unit. Add in the service call/bench charge, labor charge, piercing valve(s), and brazing the leak and you have a lot of money spent on fixing a unit that is 2 decades old. Plus, you are going to owe the tech money even if the repair is more than you decide to spend.
You may have found your excuse to buy a new unit. They aren't really all that expensive.
Good luck, Gideon
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