# how to run fridge water line under kitchen floor?



## J187 (May 19, 2006)

I can't speak for everyone, but I would need a lot more info before I could suggest something - Oh, and my disclaimer says there is NO gaurantee it'll be anything close to genius  (Mensa makes me ad this)

Anyway, Does the old line run below the floor to a place completely inaccessible? Could you hide a new line behind the cabinets? 

Is there a water supply pipe closer to the fridge you could maybe tap? 

How far away is the fridge, what is the orientation of the rest of the kitchen? Do you have access below the floor or above?


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## travishume (Sep 2, 2006)

The old line runs from the sink supply, down a hole, under the hardwood for about 10' and comes up a hole near the wall behind the fridge. At least, that's where it used to run.

Whoever originally ran the line did not use a single piece of tubing and it came apart at the connection (I think).

There isn't any access through the floor or from below. I basically need to feed the tube under the floor, across the room and up the other side. I'm just not sure how to accompilsh that.


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## LanterDan (Jul 3, 2006)

Fishtape (normally used to pull electrical cable)? I've seen them used to pull small diameter hose in more of an industrial type setting (univeristy research center). It would depend on what the entrence and exit holes in floor where like (or how much you could modify them) and where exactly under the floor the line is being run. This is similar to the rigid wire idea you had, but not so prone to kinking. 

If it doesn't seem like that would work, posting a picture may be your best bet to getting more advice, since its really hard to picture just how the old line was run.


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## LanterDan (Jul 3, 2006)

I should also say that small diameter PE tubing can often be fished by itself, although it comes coiled so it will have a tendacy to want to curl back up again. I've always seen copper tube used on icemakers (although I haven't seen any recently installed ones), but I think PE tubing should be fine, and be much easier to pull (in addition to being much cheaper). If I'm wrong about this then hopefully a real plumber can correct me.


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## Ron The Plumber (Jun 7, 2006)

Sorry to inform you of this, but, unless the fridge sets on the same wall is the kitchen sink, which you indicated it don't, your out of luck on fishing that line through two holes in the floor.

Here is a thought, does the wall the fridge sets against have a bathroom or plumbing on the other side of that wall?


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## travishume (Sep 2, 2006)

Unfortunately, there isn't a bathroom or any plumbing I know of on that side of the fridge.

I had a chat with the previous owner and he had the line isntalled about 8 years ago. So whoever installed it do so by fishing a line across the kitchen under the floor.

I'll look into the fish tape. Never used it, but I have heard of it. Thanks for reminding me.

Here's a picture showing the kitchen (not the best, but should give you a better idea) On the left is the sink. The hole goes down into the floor below the sink and another hole is behind the fridge against the wall where the tubing comes back up.

http://lh3.google.com/travis.hume/RPr0Bh9qABI/AAAAAAAAAKw/jMK0VlzWHmw/IMG_7806.jpg?imgmax=800


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## pa555 (Sep 12, 2006)

Got your picture to work with this link http://lh3.google.com/travis.hume/RPr0Bh9qABI/AAAAAAAAAKw/jMK0VlzWHmw/IMG_7806.jpg


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## Ron The Plumber (Jun 7, 2006)

Did you get the new line installed?


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## travishume (Sep 2, 2006)

Sorry for not following up.

No, not yet. I've been spending my time working on the house I need to sell first. I'm drowning in mortgages! I will definitely let y'all know how it goes. Maybe this weekend.


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## J187 (May 19, 2006)

Your pic link is down. It wouldn't at all be possible to hide the line under or behind the cabinets? It may be easier than trying to fish a line under a floor. Sometimes, the bottom plates of cabinets can be easily removed and you could run the line under there. I'm still confused as to how you intend to fish the line from ONE walll where the fridge apparently is to a DIFFERENT wall? Maybe the pic would have helped me.


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## travishume (Sep 2, 2006)

*Tried and failed*

Sorry the picture link was so fubar. Anyway, we tried to run a new line under the floor using a fish tape w/out any luck. I don't know how they managed it. I think I'll just try and hire someone to do it.

Thanks for your help and suggestions.


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## Double A (Sep 10, 2006)

Repost to try to get the picture link working.


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## Double A (Sep 10, 2006)

Travis, you say there is space below the floor. Is this a crawl space? I can't belive that there is a crawl space under this kitchen with absolutely no access to it. 

Are you sure you can't just go in the scuttle hole door and crawl over to this area to fish that new water line?


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## J187 (May 19, 2006)

Why can't we come out of the sink, down the cabinet and over to the doorway. Cut a small trench along the transition across to the fridge and install a threshold over it?


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## rjordan392 (Apr 28, 2005)

Travishume,
I suspect the installer used a strong magnet. If you can attach a short piece of thin steel wire to the supply line, You might be able to slowly drag it underneath the floor boards. You will need a very strong magnet and some imagination in connecting the steel wire to the line so that the wire moves freely on the supply line. This will allow the attraction of the magnetic effect to pull the wire up againt the floor boards as you slowly lower the line into the hole. Sometimes beaded chain may be better then wire. Good Luck.


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## travishume (Sep 2, 2006)

Oh. Interesting idea. Didn't even consider something like that.
Thanks for the idea.


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## rjordan392 (Apr 28, 2005)

Put a loop or hook on the end of the wire so that you can use another wire to grab it.


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## Bonus (Aug 25, 2005)

Cut bigger holes, tie the pipe to a gerbil. :yes:


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## Ron The Plumber (Jun 7, 2006)

My answer stands, without access to under that floor it's not going to happen.

Here is an idea to think about, tap into the source from another place, like water heater location, run the line through the attic, over to the fridge wall, and down the back side from above, two small hole in the ceiling, now take a molding strip thicker then the 1/4" tubing and a router, route out the middle and use it to cover up the pipe comming down the wall. Problem solved, this is only if you have attic space.


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## diyrealtor (Sep 23, 2006)

I have the exact same problem. I was wondering if you could run the water line up to the attic and down the other side? If I did hire a plumber, does anyone have any idea how much it would cost?


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## Ron The Plumber (Jun 7, 2006)

If it's easy to access the attic, a couple of hours time, say around $199.99 and you only neeed to run 1/4" copper line.


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## diyrealtor (Sep 23, 2006)

Thanks Ron! :thumbsup:


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## J187 (May 19, 2006)

Ron The Plumber said:


> My answer stands, without access to under that floor it's not going to happen.
> 
> Here is an idea to think about, tap into the source from another place, like water heater location, run the line through the attic, over to the fridge wall, and down the back side from above, two small hole in the ceiling, now take a molding strip thicker then the 1/4" tubing and a router, route out the middle and use it to cover up the pipe comming down the wall. Problem solved, this is only if you have attic space.


 
One of the first things I suggested was to tap another source. Apparently the poster says there are no other water sources on that side of the house at all :huh:


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