Plumbing – How to install a water line to the refrigerator

appliancesplumbing

Recently bought a new refrigerator that has an ice maker and now I want to run a water line to the refrigerator (there is not one there right now). The cold water line is pretty much right below the refrigerator in the basement so I can easily drill a hole behind the refrigerator to the basement. Is there a simple way to attach to my currently exisitng cold water line (without requiring a plumber)?

Best Answer

They make "taps" specifically for that purpose - you can get them at home depot/lowes or probably any plumbing store.

They clamp on to an existing water line and have a sharp pin inside. You attach a vinyl or flexible copper line to it and run it through the floor to the fridge. Then you crank handle on the valve down and the pin punctures the copper water line and lets water into the valve.

When I did mine, I was a bit worried it would leak at first (they just look like something that wouldn't seal well) but haven't had any problems with it for well over a year now.