# Length of water line for the in fridge ice and water



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

I don't know of a code that limits the length of a water line---I believe you are fine--a plumber will be along soon--Mike--


----------



## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

If you are in the wall, run pipe not the plastic or braided tubing used for ice maker kits. Flex copper or PEX pipe would be the easiest. Install a stop valve at the frig.


----------



## gmaint (Feb 21, 2014)

_If you decide to hard pipe the water line to the shut off valve, use plastic from the valve to the fridge with enough length to move the fridge for cleaning._


----------



## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

gmaint said:


> _If you decide to hard pipe the water line to the shut off valve, use plastic from the valve to the fridge with enough length to move the fridge for cleaning._


Have to disagree. I have seen too many leaks from those plastic lines. Use a SS braided connector or 1/4" flex copper coil.


----------



## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

And what's inside the braided stainless? A rubber or plastic hose.

Run 1/4" pex the full distance with no inner wall connections.


----------



## Javiles (Dec 12, 2011)

Half inch in the wall hard piped well secured with stud guards valve box at the fridge with a arrestor, from the box to the fridge copper coil or SS line, your choice, would not go any smaller than 1/2 pipe in the wall


----------



## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Javiles said:


> Half inch in the wall hard piped well secured with stud guards valve box at the fridge with a arrestor, from the box to the fridge copper coil or SS line, your choice, would not go any smaller than 1/2 pipe in the wall


Good grief, we're not trying to water the lawn. 1/4" ID will do anything a fridge needs.


----------



## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

Sometimes it's easier to run the line straight down through the cabinet base and under the floor, and pop back up in the corner behind the fridge. That way if you have a leak, you can reach the valve without pulling the fridge out.

Another vote for 1/4" copper tubing (50ft rolls)


----------



## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

Alan said:


> Sometimes it's easier to run the line straight down through the cabinet base and under the floor, and pop back up in the corner behind the fridge. That way if you have a leak, you can reach the valve without pulling the fridge out.
> 
> Another vote for 1/4" copper tubing (50ft rolls)


 Concrete slab.


----------



## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

rjniles said:


> Concrete slab.


Missed that somehow.   Still vote for 1/4" CU tube.

Is the house water plumbed overhead?

If so it may be easier to cut in a tee and drop down the wall behind where the frigde is and install an icemaker box.


----------



## forcedreno2012 (Nov 9, 2012)

Thank you all. 

I guess I could have been a little clearer in my terms. By hard pipe, my intention was to use copper in the walls and then as suggested stub out to the wall and then switch to the smaller tubing etc to the fridge. 

One of the suggestions on piping that intrigued me was the ceiling reference. 

Although our water is under the slab if I can run the pipe up the wall from the sink and then across the ceiling in the attic and then down its 4 less bends and shorter by about 10 feet to get it to the fridge. (when I say bends I mean a soft radius turn and not an elbow connection) Live in south MS so don't have hard freezes that often but would definitely insulate and protect the run across the attic. Is this permissible? if so is there a requirement for securing the line as it runs along a joist? Can it be strapped every couple of feet? The way it is up there, I would not have to drill through any joists just the top plate down to the fridge as the run would be parallel to the joints. The fridge would be directly across from the sink.

Thanks


----------



## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

Where I am at, there is no requirement for "Securing" the piping. Only supporting it, and there is no requirement as to how it must be supported.

Every 6 feet on 1/2" copper pipe is sufficient for support.

:thumbup:

Edit : You probably will want to secure it so that when the solenoid shuts off the pipe doesn't vibrate in the ceiling.


----------



## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

You don't insulate the tubing from the heat loss of the room. The tubing is run under the attic insulation and next to the drywall so as to benefit from the room heat loss. A common misunderstanding of builders and contractors.

Run pex and forget about freezing.


----------



## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

For 10' of pipe and fittings- I'd still go in the walls. But thats me, I never want to put pipe in any outside wall/ceiling.
While were at it , I vote for 1/2" pipe with a 1/4" stop, inside a flush mounted ice maker box


----------



## forcedreno2012 (Nov 9, 2012)

E you are the second plumber that has recommended the 1/2 inch. Why so much?


----------



## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

forcedreno2012 said:


> E you are the second plumber that has recommended the 1/2 inch. Why so much?


Simple- it is standard plumbing practice to supply any plumbing fixture connection point with a minimum of 1/2".
Will something smaller work? Probably.


----------



## Javiles (Dec 12, 2011)

forcedreno2012 said:


> E you are the second plumber that has recommended the 1/2 inch. Why so much?


simple volume vs pressure vs distance vs demand As water moves through a pipe there is a lot of resistance caused by the pipe surfaces, bends reductions etc, The water moves through the at the maximum speed it can while still overcoming this friction. When the water reaches the end of the pipe it has close to zero pressure left as it exits. So if you have, say, 50 PSI of water pressure at the faucet, the water will move as fast as it can through the pipe, such that it will use up almost all that 50 PSI of pressure by the time it reaches the end of the pipe. If there were 60 PSI of pressure, the water would just move a little faster through the pipe so that it used up almost all 60 PSI by the time it exits. So basically regardless of the pressure, almost all the water pressure is used up by the time the water flows through the pipe. The nature of water is that it will reach the most efficient balance between flow rate and pressure loss that it can.


----------



## forcedreno2012 (Nov 9, 2012)

Thank you Mr E and Javiles. Makes sense. 

Will go with the 1/2 inch we don't have the greatest pressure as we are at the very end and I mean very end (last house) of the city water run.


----------



## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

I wouldn't, I would just buy a roll of good 1/4" copper and at the start point install a shut off valve. Then just run it anywhere you can hide it (attic sounds good) then I would just take it all the way down to the back of the refrigerator put a small 1/4" valve on it and then put about 3 nice loops(like a slinky) then hook it to the refrigerator at the solenoid valve. No joints between the start point and the end point. You don't need 1/2" it's way overkill for a little ice maker that hardly uses any water at all. No plastic, no saddle valves. Make sure the slinky loops are looped enough so you can pull that baby all the way out for cleaning and service. Kiss Principal.


----------



## 95PGTTech (Jun 24, 2014)

rjniles said:


> If you are in the wall, run pipe not the plastic or braided tubing used for ice maker kits. Flex copper or PEX pipe would be the easiest. Install a stop valve at the frig.





rjniles said:


> Have to disagree. I have seen too many leaks from those plastic lines. Use a SS braided connector or 1/4" flex copper coil.


I'd have to agree here. Use copper, CPVC, PEX, whatever you prefer to work with throughout the rest of the house in the wall to the back of refrigerator. Make yourself a nice pass-through through the sheetrock and a valve just after. 1/4" stainless steel flex line from there takes a lot of abuse if stretched/pinched/rolled over to the back of fridge. Frankly, for the in-wall stuff, I'd use whatever diameter stuff you already have on hand for the rest of the house - the pressure will be fine as soon as it steps down from whatever you are using (probably 1/2") to the 1/4" SS line.

Not a pro, just a DIYer who has learned to horrifically overkill things due to incredible fears of having to re-do them in the future.


----------



## Chris130 (Feb 3, 2014)

95PGTTech said:


> Not a pro, just a DIYer who has learned to horrifically overkill things due to incredible fears of having to re-do them in the future.


I have nothing of value to add to this particular topic, but this line made me smile - just yesterday, I explained my recent bathroom re-plumbing project to friend using very similar words to these :thumbsup:

Cheers, Chris


----------



## 95PGTTech (Jun 24, 2014)

Chris130 said:


> I have nothing of value to add to this particular topic, but this line made me smile - just yesterday, I explained my recent bathroom re-plumbing project to friend using very similar words to these :thumbsup:
> 
> Cheers, Chris


Home projects are a very fun experience the first time usually, and a gateway to drug abuse the second, third, and fourth times. A few projects during the learning process I have had to re-do due to:

1. incorrectly used new specialty tool
2. incorrect assumptions or information
3. did not factor in desire to upgrade/expand in future

As much fun as the original project/learning experience/new shiny things was, re-doing was ABSOLUTE MISERY. Nothing is more boring or depressing than spending money and time twice. Just installed another set of that HD ClosetMaid shelving for wife in a closet - installed 2x brackets as recommended, all in studs not with wall anchors. Tested when it was finished by doing a couple chin ups on it (155lb on a 12" long span). Overkill? Probably.

Once upon a time when I first bought this house, we put our clothes and items in a closet on a similar shelf not even thinking twice about it. Came home one day to the entire unit torn out of the sheetrock, destroyed everything on the way down. All wall anchors, some just screws into sheetrock. Being amateurs and only having 3-4 hours a day to work on it, it took us 4 days to replace the damaged sheetrock in closet and remount shelves as described above, paint. It was absolutely miserable to go through all that work and come out with a finished project that looked neater and tidier than the original install and more secure but, all in all, not much different/better of a look.

Better example: had a shower mixer valve explode (literally) inside a wall behind tile in a shower in my last home. Cut out a few feet of tile, cement board, replaced valve and all fittings, etc. working like a monkey sticking my arms into the wall trying to keep the project minimized (only shower). Took 2 days off work. Learned how to solder copper pipe (I've done slot cars, electronics, etc), plumbing basics, shower basics, thinset, grout on this project (probably $200 in new tools). What I didn't learn was to pressure test piping before putting the cement board back. Pinhole leak in the cold side at one of my joints because I was too scared with the torch in the small space (this is how I learned wet rag or just steal one of my welding blankets). Needless to say the extra day and a half I had to take off work to literally re-do the entire project and purchase AGAIN tile, thinset, cement board was one of the worst experiences of my life. Live and learn I guess, a mistake I will never make again.


----------



## forcedreno2012 (Nov 9, 2012)

95 Thanks for sharing. It is definitely frustrating when you have to go back and do something. 

I too overbuild and the hubby gives me a hard time about it and calls me the "Nervous Nelly" but by God if I nail or screw it down its going to take and ACT of God for it to come down again. 

I will share one of my overbuild funnies. I was told that we needed to add nail plates for in wall piping and wire - no biggie right? The inspector (who has been a champ with us through this mess) just busted out laughing when he saw them all over the place....apparently you don't have to use the 5 inch plates and 3 inch nails to protect wire. NO NAILS in the pipes or wire in THIS house :laughing:

I am actually looking forward to soldering pipes. I have never done it but I did learn to weld from my dad when I was younger so it will be interesting. I have only ever done the cpvc/pvc route.


----------



## forcedreno2012 (Nov 9, 2012)

Okay spot the idiot that forgot to run the ice maker line before putting in the windows etc. 

Before I start tearing into stuff. Can you tie a fridgeline from some place other than under the sink. Ie from the water main incoming line in the laundry?

Thanks


----------



## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

The ice maker uses so little water, I would not be concerned about a tie in almost anywhere. As long as you are on your side of the meter I think you will be ok


----------



## jmon (Nov 5, 2012)

Yes, any cold water source near the fridge would work, it doesn't have to be under the sink. Depends on your set-up and where pipes are located.

Don't use a saddle valve, use a proper tee and 1/4 turn shut off valve. They have push on fittings for all types of pipe if soldering is an issue. Quick and easy. Just a suggestion.


----------



## forcedreno2012 (Nov 9, 2012)

Y'all just made my day...was envisioning have to go back and redo. 

I hear you on the saddle, already replaced one of those due to a leak at our other house so never again. 

Thanks


----------

