A dehumidifier is one of the lighter appliances, and one person can carry it. What shapes the job is where it has been running: basements, crawl spaces and laundry rooms, at the bottom of the steepest stairs in the house.
Empty the water
The bucket. Pull out the collection bucket and empty it. Even a bucket that looks empty usually has a cup or two in the corners.
The drain hose. If the dehumidifier drains continuously through a hose to a floor drain or a sump, unhook the hose at the dehumidifier and let it drain into a bucket. Coil the hose and tape it to the unit.
The pump line. Models with a built-in pump push water up through a small tube to a sink or a window. Pull the tube out of the outlet and drain it the same way.
Switch the dehumidifier off a few hours before emptying it. The coils inside drip for a while after it stops, and the last of that water ends up in the bucket instead of on the stairs.
Before pickup
Refrigerant must be removed by a certified technician before pickup. This applies to dehumidifiers just as it does to refrigerators and AC units, so book the technician first and the pickup after.
Clear the stairs
Basement stairs collect storage. Clear the treads, the landing and the path from the dehumidifier to the bottom step, and turn on the stair light. Mention in the booking that it’s in a basement or a crawl space.
Dehumidifier checklist
- Switched off a few hours before
- Bucket emptied
- Drain hose or pump line unhooked and drained
- Hose coiled and taped to the unit
- Certified technician visit done
- Basement stairs cleared
A dehumidifier starts at $90 on its own, or adds $35 to a pickup that’s already clearing other things from the basement.
