[Bill]

My CPA called this morning. Had a leak in his basement. Found out the ice maker line he had installed about 2 years ago looked like it had dried out and cracked. Anyone see that happen ? This was one he installed, got it from Lowe's, its a 3/8" supply line, semi transparent, with the saddle that attaches to the copper pipe and pierces a hole. I replaced it with some 3/8 pex I had for dishwashers. I buy that stuff by the 100 foot roll. Never had a problem with the pex cracking.

 

[Ron]

Cheap plastic they sell at lowes or where ever, saddle valves are not code here, I always run my ice maker lines in 1/4" copper refer tubing.

 

[Bill]

In remodels, or new construction I use an ice maker box that has a 1/2" MIP to attach a 1/2" FIP fitting to. Then just run 1/2" pipe to the main line and tie in with copper.

 

[ILPlumber]

Copper only. That plastic tubing gets brittle. HO slides out the fridge to clean and it breaks. Piercing tap valves aren't code compliant here either. If it was a remodel I would add a stop under the kitchen sink and run 1/4" reefer tube to the fridge. That way if there's a problem the HO just has to shut off the labeled valve in the cabinet. Not yank out the fridge to shut it off.

 

[Plumberman]

Needle valves are the worst. You might get a positive shut off but it leaks like a sift when you close it. Im with IL, I always install a stop and run copper. Looks cleaner too.

 

[3KP]

Hook ups

I use a stainless steal braided hose on both my Ice maker and dishwasher hook ups.

 

[Plumberman]

I use a stainless steal braided hose on both my Ice maker and dishwasher hook ups.

Same here on dishwasher. What if the fridge is on the opposite side of the kitchen from the sink?

 

[3KP]

Here we install I/M boxes in the walls at fridge loaction. But if I have to run line from a far distance I use poly line.

 

[ILPlumber]

Same here on dishwasher. What if the fridge is on the opposite side of the kitchen from the sink?

Go back down into the crawl or basement with the 1/4" copper and up through the floor behind the fridge.

Or, I spose you could put a 1/2" valve under the K sink and run it back down and over to the icemaker box in the wall behind the fridge. I've never done it but , it would be nice. I don't like the idea of the valve behind the fridge.

 

[rex]

pex and a stop under sink or in basment if it isnt being finished.....

 

[user4]

Go back down into the crawl or basement with the 1/4" copper and up through the floor behind the fridge.

Or, I spose you could put a 1/2" valve under the K sink and run it back down and over to the icemaker box in the wall behind the fridge. I've never done it but , it would be nice. I don't like the idea of the valve behind the fridge.

Our jobs rarely have anything but a 42" wide Sub Zero fridge, a valve behind one of those monsters would suck since the water hook up is in the front anyway.

 

[A Good Plumber]

I agree Killer, the valve needs to be more accessible, we run the 1/4 copper tubing to the kitchen sink cabinet and even though the fridge usually comes with a filter, we install a small in-line filter under the sink. This allows for easy changing and extends the life of the more costly built-in filter.

 

[threaderman]

Nowadays I find myself giving the customer a choice of copper or pex .I push copper,I like metal pipe,what can I say.Often times the pex is chosen solely for price.

 

[A Good Plumber]

Pex isn't legal in California, for domestic water, unless the local admin approves it for an alternate installation. Pex was legal for a short period but was turned away again in January after more studies about the effects chlorine has on Pex. Most of the water districts chlorinate the drinking water.
I'm not sure I'd use pex if it were legal anyway. I like copper. A proven product that lasts.
Some areas are now allowing CPVC, and I don't think I'll ever use it unless specified.

 

[3KP]

Sub zero

I usually put the I/M box in the floor (where the wheels will miss it)

 

[Herk]

I use 1/4" nominal PEX for all of them now. Much tougher than the polyethylene and stands a lot more pressure. I've had problems with the SS braided lines some appliance dealers use - bacteria stink. Copper has a short life on icemakers here. One problem is the pinholing, the other is moving the 'fridge out to clean and bending the copper.

 

["DAPlumber" 101]

Residental ice maker line

It is always nice on a remodel, or a new install to use a ice maker box, but that is not always the case. What do you prefer?Cutting a valve in to the water distribution and running a 1/4' poly line to refrigerator or running a 1/2" line behind fridge with a valve and reducing to 1/4" at that point. Most home's I deal with have basement's so I realize answer's will vary.

 

[user4]

I always stub 1/4" copper out of the wall just barely above finished floor, since almost all the refrigerators we install are Sub-Zero's and the ice maker hook up is in front, so the line has to go under the fridge.

 

[ILPlumber]

We had a lenghty thread about this a while back. I'm too lazy to search but it's around somewhere.

 

[Bill]

We had a lenghty thread about this a while back. I'm too lazy to search but it's around somewhere.

yes, I remember it well. Ron may merge the two together