So I bought a new fridge that happens to be a little deeper than counter depth. After getting the fridge to our house, we realized that our cabinetry is designed for counter depth. We actually like the fridge despite the fact that it comes out "a little" further than it should so we are keeping it. The only problem is that we haven't connected the water line yet. The house was built in 2013 and it has a recessed shutoff in the wall, ready for the water line. The only issue is that I want to be able to push the fridge back as far as possible without causing any distress to the line. I purchased both a copper, plastic and braided stainless steel line and am willing to use whichever would be best for my situation. I feel like since my shutoff in the wall is set directly forward that I'd benefit from some sort of right angle (elbow) connection to take away some pressure but I don't want to add more parts that could eventually fail. Advice/suggestion? I can provide pics if needed.
Plumbing – Need to push fridge back but don’t want to squish water line
copper-tubingkitchensplumbingrefrigerator
Related Solutions
If you're up for it, I would install a valve in the wall while you have the water shut off. When you're done, you'll have a separate shutoff for the fridge and your bathroom available again. To make it look nice, I'd go for a valve box that you mount in the wall:
I've seen that piece called a Water Connector Union Fitting and a Tubing Coupler.
Verify the size of the tubing, but if it's the normal 5/16" to 1/4" it should be easy to get a replacement at any larger hardware store, such as this. The ones I've seen (that look just like yours) don't require any tools, other than possibly a blade to cut a bit of the tubing off at the end if it's calcified - you just insert the tube.
You might also check to see if your tube just got pulled out a bit - it's possible it doesn't require replacement.
Best Answer
If the arrangement is typical, it will look something like this:
Perhaps from this, you can see how the copper tubing can be bent to be flat against the wall and form a coil like this:
Arranged this way, it is okay to move the fridge all the way back, pressing the tubing into position—which helps keep it from rattling. There should be no sharp or pointed surfaces on the lower back of the refrigerator. If there are, maybe you can cover them with heavy tape or cloth.