Ultra-Aire 98h Dehumidifier Not Dehumidifying


Had a Ultra-Aire 98h installed last spring (2021) for shoulder season dehumidification. Worked great through spring, fall, winter, and this last spring. It has sat off most of/all of the summer, but as things are finally starting to cool a little it’s starting to run some.

It doesn’t seem to be dehumidifying much/at all. Here’s some info:

-House is spray-foamed/conditioned attic, all hvac equip is in attic,dedicated return for dehu, supply goes into air handler supply plenum

-run by ecobee thermostat, set to keep at 50% (house is set at 78 during day and 72 at night, AC handles humidity just fine when it runs)

-dehu unit fan and compressor kick on and off when thermostat tells them to

-clean/new air filter

-condenser and coils seem to be working,visual and infrared thermometer checked

-two distinct lines of ice build-up at top and middle coils

-defrost cycle maybe working? Heard compressor kick off, good amount of water dumped through drain line, ice had definitely lessened, then compressor kicked back on

*I’ve got a calibrated temp/humidity sensor on one of the supply registers – used that sensor to track info for the last 1+ year. Would routinely see it pumping out dry warm air on sensor, now it’s slightly warm air with humidity not much below room/house humidity (It used to get upper 80s temp/low 40s/uppers 30s humidity, now temp is low 80s and lowest humidity I’ve seen from it is 47%. I know dew point is the better measure – it’s pumping out a higher dew point than the house is currently at.)

Not sure how to troubleshoot this. Can call company who installed it, but I don’t now that they have much experience with these units other than installing them. Don’t want to do any DIY just not sure where to start. Any help would be appreciated.