Adding Refrigerator Water Line

[ReadyToGetPlumb]

Hello, everyone.

I was wondering…

What is the best way to add a refrigerator water line?

Would I be better off adding a tee to the cold under my sink, running a stainless steel line behind the dishwasher, and one cabinet I would have to drill through, or…

Adding a Sharkbite shutoff tee to my copper line directly below the fridge, in basement, where I have droptile access, and running my stainless steel line up through the floor behind the refrigerator?

Should I have friction concerns taking the line through the floor? Will it rub a hole in the line, over time?

I guess a concern with the running from the basement solution is if I ever decide to put drywall up in the basement… however, I may never do that.

What do you guys think?

 

[WorthFlorida]

The only best way is to have a shut off valve on the same floor level where it can quickly be closed for servicing such as replacing the water filter. Under the sink connection is about the most common. This is one way to add a shut off valve under an existing sink cold water. 3/8" for the sink faucet, 1/4" for the water line to the refrigerator.

BrassCraft 1/2 in. Nominal Inlet x 3/8 in. O.D. Comp x 1/4 in. O.D. Dual Outlet Dual Shut-Off 1/4 in. Turn Angle Ball Valve KTCR1900DVX R1 - The Home Depot

BrassCraft 1/2 in. Nominal Compression Inlet x 3/8 in. O.D. Compression x 1/4 in. O.D. Compression Dual Outlet, Dual Shut-Off 1/4-Turn Angle Ball Valve controls water flow to household plumbing fixtures.

www.homedepot.com

 

[Sponsor]

 

[ReadyToGetPlumb]

The only best way is to have a shut off valve on the same floor level where it can quickly be closed for servicing such as replacing the water filter. Under the sink connection is about the most common. This is one way to add a shut off valve under an existing sink cold water. 3/8" for the sink faucet, 1/4" for the water line to the refrigerator.

BrassCraft 1/2 in. Nominal Inlet x 3/8 in. O.D. Comp x 1/4 in. O.D. Dual Outlet Dual Shut-Off 1/4 in. Turn Angle Ball Valve KTCR1900DVX R1 - The Home Depot

BrassCraft 1/2 in. Nominal Compression Inlet x 3/8 in. O.D. Compression x 1/4 in. O.D. Compression Dual Outlet, Dual Shut-Off 1/4-Turn Angle Ball Valve controls water flow to household plumbing fixtures.

www.homedepot.com

Thanks.

Any disadvantage to just adding a compression tee on top of the cold water shutoff for the kitchen sink, other then shutting things off will shut them both off, as opposed to independently controlling both?

 

[WorthFlorida]

Thanks.

Any disadvantage to just adding a compression tee on top of the cold water shutoff for the kitchen sink, other then shutting things off will shut them both off, as opposed to independently controlling both?

I shown a double shutoff valve. One for each.

 

[Reach4]

Any disadvantage to just adding a compression tee on top of the cold water shutoff for the kitchen sink, other then shutting things off will shut them both off, as opposed to independently controlling both?

I think you have identified the disadvantage.

If you anticipate feeding the ice maker with reverse osmosis water in the future, note that you don't want to use metal pipes to carry RO water.

 

[ReadyToGetPlumb]

I think you have identified the disadvantage.

If you anticipate feeding the ice maker with reverse osmosis water in the future, note that you don't want to use metal pipes to carry RO water.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Do water softeners use reverse osmosis?

Do you need reverse osmosis if your refrigerator has a carbon filter?

Would getting a water softener be bad, in general, because my main is cast iron?

 

[Reach4]

1. Softeners do not use RO, but you can feed an RO unit with soft water. It is a little easier on the membrane that way.
2. You normally don't need RO. If you have much lead or arsenic, then it could change from nice to need.
3. Softener is fine with cast iron drain pipes, I think. Not causing my cast iron a problem AFAIK.

Is this city water or well water?

 

[ReadyToGetPlumb]

1. Softeners do not use RO, but you can feed an RO unit with soft water. It is a little easier on the membrane that way.
2. You normally don't need RO. If you have much lead or arsenic, then it could change from nice to need.
3. Softener is fine with cast iron drain pipes, I think. Not causing my cast iron a problem AFAIK.

Is this city water or well water?

It is city water.

If my house was built in the mid 70s, isn’t it likely there is lead solder on the copper joints? Is this concerning, if we have a fridge filter? From what I have read, it sounds like fridge filters remove lead.

As far as my water hardness number on a range, a tech told me it was 11. Whatever that means. Is that concerning?

I guess I am trying to figure out what systems are worth installing.

Will any of that change if I go to pex, as far as what I need, or what I won’t need?

 

[ReadyToGetPlumb]

On a side note

The only best way is to have a shut off valve on the same floor level where it can quickly be closed for servicing such as replacing the water filter. Under the sink connection is about the most common. This is one way to add a shut off valve under an existing sink cold water. 3/8" for the sink faucet, 1/4" for the water line to the refrigerator.

BrassCraft 1/2 in. Nominal Inlet x 3/8 in. O.D. Comp x 1/4 in. O.D. Dual Outlet Dual Shut-Off 1/4 in. Turn Angle Ball Valve KTCR1900DVX R1 - The Home Depot

BrassCraft 1/2 in. Nominal Compression Inlet x 3/8 in. O.D. Compression x 1/4 in. O.D. Compression Dual Outlet, Dual Shut-Off 1/4-Turn Angle Ball Valve controls water flow to household plumbing fixtures.

www.homedepot.com

Thanks.

I didn’t think you needed to shut off water to replace a water filter, though? I mean, I guess you may need to shut it off to repair the fridge, though.

In those situations you would also be pulling out the fridge, though, so couldn’t you use an inline shutoff with two stainless steel braided hoses, and still come in from the floor? You would still have the shutoff on the same level as the fridge, then.

 

[Reach4]

It is city water.

If my house was built in the mid 70s, isn’t it likely there is lead solder on the copper joints? Is this concerning, if we have a fridge filter? From what I have read, it sounds like fridge filters remove lead.

As far as my water hardness number on a range, a tech told me it was 11. Whatever that means. Is that concerning?

I guess I am trying to figure out what systems are worth installing.

Will any of that change if I go to pex, as far as what I need, or what I won’t need?

I would not worry about the leaded solder with your old copper fittings. Almost nothing of the old solder will leach into your water,.

11 grains of hardness is moderately hard. A softener would be beneficial. It is important that the softener have 10% crosslinked resin.

I would like to have a cartridge water filter, even with city water. City water can have sand and more in it.

 

[billiebob]

Question: I want to move the fridge to a new location that isn’t adjacent to a cabinent. Is it feasible to run a new water supply line off an electric water heater
on the opposite of the wall? That wall is a solid thickness & no basement. If it a joke to ask a plumber to run a new line from the heater with a hole drilled at floor level? Or will I be putting his kid thru college with the bill for this? Thank very much for any advice