Icemakers don’t require existing water line / LJWorld.com

Archive for Monday, October 26, 2009

October 26, 2009

Last week we talked about setting up a new icemaker using an existing water line. But you don’t have to tap into an existing water line to hook up the icemaker in your refrigerator. Instead, you can use a special tee designed to fit right on the cold water shut off valve beneath your kitchen sink.

Step 1: Purchase a quarter-inch stainless steel flex line, copper tubing or plastic tubing long enough to reach from beneath the kitchen sink to the back of the refrigerator. Allow for enough slack to pull the refrigerator away from the wall.

Step 2: Use a paddle bit to drill holes through the cupboards to route the water supply line to the refrigerator. Make sure the holes are large enough for the compression nut at the end of the tubing to slide through, but small enough that nothing else will come through the hole once the tubing is inserted.

Step 3: Shut the cold water supply off using the valve beneath the kitchen sink.

Step 4: Open the cold water side of the faucet and allow the remaining water to drain out. Leave the faucet open while you work on the water line.

Step 5: Disconnect the cold water supply line from the valve. Attach the special compression tee to the valve using the female portion of the tee. Re-attach the cold water supply line to the three-eighths male end of the tee.

Step 6: Use a quarter-inch compression nut to attach the tubing or supply line to the quarter-inch male portion of the special tee. Hand-tighten the nut and use an adjustable wrench to turn the nut one half of a turn more. If you are using plastic tubing, place a brass insert inside the tubing end first. This will keep the tubing from collapsing under the pressure of the nut.

Step 7: Place the open end of the supply line or tubing into a bucket or the sink and turn the water supply on to flush the line of any debris.

Step 8: Turn the water supply back off and snake the supply line to the back of the refrigerator. Attach the line to the refrigerator; hand-tightening the compression nut and then using an adjustable wrench to turn it a half turn more.

Step 9: Turn the water supply back on. Check for leaks. Make any necessary adjustments. Push the refrigerator back into place, put away your tools and wait while the ice maker does the rest of the work for you.