How to Recharge a Dehumidifier – Can You Recharge a Dehumidifier?

Everyone’s batteries run down doesn’t matter who you are. There will be times when you are extremely tired and can’t perform at peak levels. The same goes for dehumidifiers. Their ‘batteries’ get worn down by dirt, overuse, grime and filthy filters.

They need to be recharged in order to work well. To find out how to recharge a dehumidifier, just continue to read our article. It has the information you need to know about.

Can You Recharge a Dehumidifier?

Yes and no. It will depend on what type of dehumidifier you own. If the device uses a coolant or what is called a refrigerant then yes it can be recharged. Those dehumidifiers with that additive help keep the air cool in your home.

Once it loses its power then you need to replace it with no coolant to have your dehumidifier work at peak levels. Any other dehumidifier cannot be recharged.

How to Recharge a Dehumidifier The Right Way

how to recharge a dehumidifier

Image Source: Youtube

Before we get to the instructions on how to do this, it should be said that the older models of dehumidifiers could easily be recharged by doing it yourself. All you had to do is run down to the hardware store and buy the recharging kit and follow the instructions.

These kits were phased out once officials realized how dangerous those coolant chemicals actually were. If you have an older dehumidifier and you can still get those kits, then you will have to follow instructions exactly to recharge your unit.

However, buying a recharging kit is very tricky. They were discontinued for a long time because of strict government regulations.

Most older dehumidifiers use either Freon or Puron and the former coolant has had production stopped in different countries around the world due to its damaging nature to the environment.

If you have a newer dehumidifier, and most people do, then you are out of luck. Due to government regulations in many countries, dehumidifier owners are not allowed to recharge their dehumidifying units.

To get your unit recharged you have to call an ethical, certified and legal HVAC company and they have to handle the chore for you. According to the laws of different nations, they are the only people who are charged with recharging dehumidifiers.

If you are not sure if there are laws in your state or country barring you from recharging your dehumidifier contact a lawyer or proper government official and ask them.

Our Recommended Dehumidifiers for 2025

frigidaire 50 pint dehumidifier

Frigidaire 50 Pint Dehumidifier

Yaufey 2500 Sq. Ft Home Dehumidifier

Yaufey 2500 Sq. Ft Home Dehumidifier

AprilAire E100C Pro 100 Pint Dehumidifier

AprilAire E100C Pro 100 Pint Dehumidifier

How to Recharge Gun Safe Dehumidifier?

Smaller dehumidifiers like the ones built for boats, closets, gun safes are usually easy to recharge and often marketed as rechargeable. The reason for the difference between these units and the typical room dehumidifier is because of their construction.

The gun safe units do not use coolants or refrigerants thus the laws barring homeowners from recharging these gun safe models do not apply. Most rechargeable gun safe dehumidifiers only need electricity to recharge.

That means all that you have to do is to keep the dehumidifier running at peak levels is to plug it into an outlet for a few hours. It is not hard to know when it is time to do the recharging.

A light will change from orange to green (or some other colors) and remind you that it is time to plug it in. The light should change back when the recharging is done. The good news is that you have many different models and brands to choose from.

You should not have any trouble finding a rechargeable gun safe for dehumidifiers. And what makes them even better is that they are safe to recharge when little kids and pets are in the house.

Final Verdict


As you can see it will take a miracle for you to recharge your dehumidifier if you own a standard model. If you have an older model that requires a kit, it may be best to upgrade to a newer dehumidifier and make sure your home is treated just right. Let the pros handle the recharging for you.

For gun safe owners, it is completely safe for you to recharge your small dehumidifiers. There are no dangerous chemicals involved in the process and the recharging can be done while you sleep.

0/5 (0 Reviews)

My name is Justin Williams. I am the founder and blogger at TheDehumidifierExperts.com (read more about us). I was an allergy sufferer and that is also the reason why I began my trek to finding the best dehumidifier for my own personal health issues. All of the dehumidifier top picks on the site were put through their paces by Lance Perez - our dehumidifier researcher. He put each one through a series of tests to see how well they performed. Then, our editorial team compiled the insights into articles and published them.

Leave a Comment