Have you asked yourself, does a dehumidifier turns off when the water tank is full? Around 90% of the dehumidifier owners do not know the answer. A dehumidifier will turn off when the water tank is full of water. Now, as a new owner, you have to empty the water tank daily to keep your dehumidifier running smoothly.
So, you have to know how to drain a dehumidifier to the outside, right? In this article, I will share with you three hassle-free methods to drain a dehumidifier automatically. Besides, where and how far you can drain your dehumidifier will be discussed in this article. On top of that, dust can clog the dehumidifier, I will tell you how to unclog it.
In short, how to drain a dehumidifier to the outside? You can drain a dehumidifier to the outside in two ways – manual and automatic. To drain water manually, remove the bucket and drain it outside of your house. You can use a drain hose, condensate pump, or dehumidifier pump to drain water outside automatically.
I will elaborate both manual and automatic for the betterment of yourself. Just keep reading.
How to Drain a Dehumidifier to the Outside
As I have said earlier, there are two methods and I am gonna be discussing them in detail right now.
Manual Method to Drain a Dehumidifier
It is as easy to do. If you have a dehumidifier that has a separable water bucket, you can remove the water bucket. Then you can either drain the water outside of your home or put it into the sink.
Automatic Method to Drain a Dehumidifier
There have three different automatic methods for draining a dehumidifier. Let’s give them a shot –
Drainage With an External Condensate Pump
If you want to drain a dehumidifier for crawl space or you do not have a floor drainage option, you should use an external condensate pump. Besides, when a gravity method does not work for draining water, you can follow this method. A condensate pump is a pump that collects condensate and disperses it through a pipe to the sink, outside, etc.
Here is the step by step guide:
- Place the dehumidifier in a higher position like – chair, table, etc. You must keep it close to the condensate pump, otherwise, the hose can not reach the pump.
- Connect one end of a hose to the drain port and the other end to the top connection of the condensate pump.
- Take another small hose. Connect its one end to another connection of the condensate pump and another end to sink or wherever you want to drain water.
- Turn on the condensate pump and dehumidifier at the same time. When the condensate pump will fill with water, it will automatically channel water through the small hose to the outside.
How Do You Get My Dehumidifier to Drain Through the Hose?
This method is also called the gravity method. Many dehumidifiers come with a built-in drain hose option. This method requires a floor draining option, and it works on gravity. If you do not have this option, you should choose the first option.
Here is the step by step guide:
- As this method works on gravity, you should place the dehumidifier at a higher position (6 inches is great).
- Connect one end of a garden hose to the drain port of the dehumidifier.
- Place another end of this hose at your garden or house gutter.
- You can also put the hose on your floor drain.
- Run the dehumidifier and see there is any leak or not.
Keep the dehumidifier very close to your floor drain to see the optimum result.
Small note: You should maintain the dehumidifier position always higher than the drainage location.
Drainage With a Built-in Dehumidifier Pump
A built-in pump makes it easy to drain a dehumidifier without human touch. It can elevate water vertically up to 15 ft. But if you have already a dehumidifier without a built-in pump, you should follow the number one/two method. If you do not have a floor drainage option, you should choose the first method.
Here is the step by step guide:
- Place the dehumidifier wherever you want. You can put it either in a higher position or in the basement.
- Connect a hose to its drain port.
- You can connect another end of the hose to the sink, drain hole, or outside of your house.
- Run the dehumidifier.
- The pump will collect the condensate and disperse it through the hose towards the outside of the house.
P.S. You should not drain water in the basement because it is porous. So, it will be damp. If you have a damp basement, you can read this blog post to dry a basement without a dehumidifier.
Where Can I Drain My Dehumidifier?
You can drain your dehumidifier to the floor drain, sink, drain hole, septic, laundry tray drain. You can not drain your dehumidifier in the basement. You can drain the water on both indoor and outdoor plants if your home air is fresh. The essence is – you can drain your dehumidifier wherever you want.
How Far Can You Drain a Dehumidifier?
How far you can drain a dehumidifier based on how long hose you have used in this regard. You can place your dehumidifier in your home but drain it 100 feet away from it. Primarily, it is all about your desire.
Why Does Not Your Draining Hose Drain Water?
You might ask me, hey, I have tried a hose but it is not draining water. What is the problem with it?
Here are the reasons why your draining hose does not drain water –
- You have not placed your dehumidifier in a proper place. You should place it next to the wall sincerely.
- Keep the dehumidifier position above the drainage location. So, the hose will have a slope to channel water outside.
- The power cord is not connected to the outlet or loosely connected. You should ensure a tight connection to the outlet.
- A clog inside the hose might develop hinder the draining of water.
How Do You Unclog a Dehumidifier?
Here unclog means releasing the blockage of the hose. Unclog a dehumidifier with the following steps –
- Turn off the dehumidifier.
- Unplug it from the outlet.
- Wipe away all external dust and allergens with clothes.
- Remove the hose from the drain port.
- Vacuum the hose to release the block inside the tunnel.
- Or, you can use a baby brush and pipe cleaners.
- Clean the air filter to reduce further blockage of the hose.
- Remove the bucket and scrub with clothes.
Do You Have Any Suggestions for Buying a Dehumidifier?
1. Home labs star dehumidifier
Home labs star dehumidifier comes with a built-in pump compressor. It is best for 1500 sq. ft space. It has a 22-pint capacity which means it can collect 10.40-liter water in a day. The water tank capacity is 0.8-gallon needs 3 to 4 times emptying. You can turn this manual emptying process automatically by connecting it to an external condensate pump.
It has a turbo mode that increases the fan speed in no time. The speed changes from 135 CFM (cubic feet meter) to 118 CFM. Home labs star dehumidifier is also providing dehumidifier with a pump for 4000 sq. ft. If you have a larger garage, you can go for it.
2. Ivation 50 pint dehumidifier
Ivation 50 pint dehumidifier is a great choice for 4500 sq. ft. space. It has 50-pint water collecting capacity in 24 hours. Besides, it has an auto-defrost feature, so there will be no ice build-up in the coils.
The LCD has a built-in humidistat, and it shows humidity level in the run time. The 16W pump drains water upwards. You can drain the dehumidifier to the outside, into a sink, drain hole.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to Drain a Dehumidifier in A Basement without A Drain?
To drain a dehumidifier in a basement without a drain requires a dehumidifier with a built-in condensate pump. This type of dehumidifier should not place at a higher position than the draining location. The condensate pump will automatically collect water and drain it. Besides, you can follow the manual method.
What Does a Pump Do in A Dehumidifier?
A pump disperses the moisture outside through the hose. A dehumidifier with a pump can elevate water both horizontally and vertically.
Can I Drain My Dehumidifier Into a Sump Pump?
Yes, you can drain your dehumidifier in a sump pump. You can connect your dehumidifier with a tube. A sump pump usually removes excess water in the basement. So, when you connect your dehumidifier to the sump pump, you do not need to empty your dehumidifier at all.
What Size Hose Does a Dehumidifier Use?
The size is half-inch inside. This size is enough for efficient draining.
Can I Drain a Dehumidifier Into a Toilet?
Of course, you can drain a dehumidifier into a toilet. But you should consider placing it upper while you are draining only through a hose. One thing you should remember, do not to allow the hose to drain water on the floor of your bathroom/toilet room because dehumidifier water has millions of germs, molds, etc.
How Long Does It Take to Drain a Dehumidifier?
It depends on the model of a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier without pump drain when the water reaches the drain port level. A dehumidifier with a pump drain when the pump is full of water, and likewise external condensate pump.
Conclusion
I believe you have gotten the whole idea on how to drain a dehumidifier to the outside. Now, you have to execute what you have learned yet. If you are lazy like me, you can buy a dehumidifier with a pump and hose. It will not save energy but also time.
The same methods are for Honeywell, Frigidaire, Hisense, Aprilaire, Danby dehumidifier drain.
