Installing an Icemaker Supply Line is a relatively easy task that a handy person can accomplish in an hour or two if they have the right tools and a little knowledge. However, there are a number of things that can go wrong and cause flooding damage to your home if not done right. Even some installation kits can lead you in the wrong direction heading for leaks in your future. In this article I will tell you about the things to avoid and the things to do that best guarantee your success without leaks.
The first thing you have to do is find a cold water supply line that you can tie into. Frequently you can run a line from under the sink along the rear of the cabinets to the refrigerator’s location. Other times from a cold supply line in a basement or, crawlspace up through a hole drilled in the floor will suffice. If you are in a home where there is a slab under the kitchen and no access from through cabinets is available it can be tougher. Also consider water available in the wall near the refrigerator such as bathrooms and laundry rooms. Supply lines in the wall may require a plumber unless you can sweat pipe.
Sioux Chief Compression Add A Valve Tee
Once you have found a cold supply line you have to tap into it. One of the most common mistakes people make is using the saddle valve that comes with the ice maker installation kit. Throw it away! Don’t use it! With saddle valves it is not a question of “if” they will leak but a question of ”when” it will leak, besides some refrigerator makers are now specifically saying not to use one or, their ice maker may not function properly. The best plan is to attach a tee and valve into the supply line using a good method of attachment for the pipes you have. With copper pipe sweating in a tee and valve would be my choice but if you do not know how to sweat copper don’t despair, other options are available. If the pipe is in an open area and not concealed in a wall or ceiling Sioux Chief makes a compression tee and valve just for this use. SharkBite fittings and push on valves are also options on copper, CPVC, and PEX tubing as well. See related articles Plumbing With SharkBite Push-On Tubing Connectors, and Push On ¼ Turn Stop Valves to the Rescue. If you were really handy installing a Sioux Chief OX Box Icemaker Wall Box behind where the refrigerator would be a nice touch.
Icemaker Supply Kit with Plastic Tube and Saddle Valve
Braided Stainless Steel Icemaker Supply Line
The tubing you use to run from the supply valve to the refrigerator is another critical choice. Kinking or, getting the refrigerator rolled over it causing leaks often damages the white plastic tubing supplied in many kits, and frequently the compression fittings in these kits are supplied with brass ferrules which will cut into the plastic tubing causing leaks. I would avoid the plastic tubing kits for these reasons. Copper tube is a good choice but again kinking when moving the refrigerator in and out will cause leaks and sometimes water conditions can cause problems for copper. In my opinion the braided stainless steel icemaker supply lines are the best option. They hold up very well and I have seldom seen problems with them. There is however one type that I would avoid and that is the Watts Floodsafe brand. I have seen the Floodsafe feature false trip shutting off the water due to high water pressure and on several of their other products I have seen connector failures causing severe damage from the leak.
If your refrigerator does not have water filtration you may want to consider an inline water filter when running the line. Icemaker water filters can improve the flavor of the water from the dispenser as well as make nicer ice cubes.
If you have any questions or comments please post them below.
I have a Frigidaire refrigerator with water filtration and ice maker with stainless steel braided cording. The cording is hidden behind the counters and is attached to my kitchen sink. I want to move my refrigerator to an adjacent alcove in my kitchen, but I need a way to take the supply line to that area. The area is not far away, and I don’t have a basement, so I am wondering if I could actually thread the supply line through the ceiling and over to the refrigerator. There’s a doorway opening between the line and the placement of the refrigerator, so I can’t hide the cording there. Thank-you!
Hi Melanee,
It is hard for me to say whether you can do that or, not. You should probably talk to a local plumber about this because here it would not be a good idea to run water supplies through the attic. The water supply lines in an attic would freeze in the winter and burst, so attics and outside walls are no go for us. A local plumber would know if you can safely do it in your area, in many places only slightly warmer than here, water supply lines can be plumbed right against the sheet rock of the ceiling with insulation piled on top. Based on your ISP I can see approximately where you are and it is too close for me to call from my armchair. If you were on SoCal I would say have at it.
Also the stainless braided tubing by code cannot be used going through walls and ceilings. The water must be piped over to the new location. If there is a bathroom or, laundry area on the other side of the wall from where you are planning to move the refrigerator the supply can come from there. Have you looked at the Sioux Chief OX-Box? They make a very nice outlet box and valve for ice-maker lines which can be installed behind the refrigerator.
I hope this helps you out,
Redwood
The saddle valve I installed 2 weeks ago is already leaking and needs replacement. My local hardware store recommended a Watts WaterPEX P-667 Tee Valve. I have a 5/8″ copper line and a 1/4″ copper supply line for the ice-maker. The instructions for the Watts valve aren’t exactly detailed. Do I just fit the supply line into the tee outlet? Will it hold? Or am I supposed to use a PEX supply line? In that case, I think I’d prefer something like the Sioux Chief ball valve….
Hi Rob.
I am unfamiliar with watts valve you gave a number for.
Are there any additional numbers on this? A search at Watts came up with no results.
Redwood
Here’s a picture:
I don’t know why Watts has no listing for it; I did try to find it there myself, hoping that there’d be more detailed instructions.
Hi Rob,
Probably because they were embarrassed to sell it…
That’s part of their John Guest fitting line of plastic quick connect fittings and It would be my last choice.
Go with the Sioux Chief one or even a Sharkbite tee.
Redwood
Hello,
In terms of ice cube quality and taste, what supply line is better to use? The copper tubing or the stainless steel supply line?
Thanks,
Justin
Hi Justin,
Both Lines have the required NSF Certification and should not make a difference.
I consider the Stainless to be less likely to have leaks.
An inline filter would make a quality difference.
Redwood
Thanks for the reply Redwood. I am cutting out the leaky cheapo tapping valve that lasted two months, and replacing it with a tee and Brass Craft KTR09 1/2″ sweat x 1/4″ comp angle ball stop valve. The copper tubing, so far, was not leaking. I do have a Whirlpool WHELJ1 whole house water filter, so I’m thinking the inline filter might be overkill. Just wondering if I should go the distance and replace the copper tubing with a stainless line?
Thanks,
Justin
Hi Justin,
Good choice on getting rid of the saddle valve.
The copper line is probably fine to keep but it does kink easily and will leak after being kinked so be careful.
Redwood
Hello,
We recently had a leak in our plastic icemaker line and were talked into copper by the local hardware guru. Our water line runs to the basement and as we ran the cooper line down through the hole in the floor the end was damaged. So we went and bought the little saw tool to cut off the damaged piece. Well now we cannot get the copper to seat properly at the conection in the basement. No matter what we try it leaks. Are we supposed to use some type of goop or is there a bigger problem? I am an inch away from trying to find the braided steel that you recommend or go back to plastic! We are really not very handy so any help you could provide we would be most appreciative of!
Thanks so much,
Angel
Hi Angel,
You need a new ferrule which is the tapered brass ring that makes the connection.
They can only be used once and if you over tighten them they will leak and you have to cut the end off and do it all over again. Personally I’d just go shopping and call it done if you have more trouble.
Redwood
Hi Redwood, great info here, thank you. It will come in handy, and it’s already talked me into returning the saddle valve that I purchased.
My condo is pretty new. Finished in 2007. Downstairs, single level on slab. We recently pulled out the fridge and found a blue 1″ plastic flex pipe running into the drywall and angling behind the cabinetry. It was covered with duct tape. I have no idea where this goes or what it could lead to. Any ideas on what this might be? If not, then any ideas how to trace where it leads?
One other interesting conundrum is that there is a yellow plastic 1/4″ pipe threaded through my washing machine connection box (which is very close in the wall to my kitchen sink plumbing) going up through the top on one side, and down through the drain pipe on the bottom. I have no idea where that goes or what purpose it serves either.
I thought that both of these may have made my icemaker installation easier, turns out I’m only more confused.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Hi Matt,
Digital pictures would be great of those 2 items if you could e-mail them to me at the e-mail address on the contact page.
Redwood