Two years ago we went through a major kitchen / linving area remodel. When the the water line for the refridgerator ice maker was plumbed in the plumber used a plastic water line that came off of our under the sink mount Multi-pure water filter. Towards the end of the remodel, the line started leaking and the general contractor called the plumber back and he fixed the problem.
Then last August / September (a year after the remodel) the water line leaked again. This time I fixed it. The water line held until two weeks ago when it developed a pin hole size water leak just on the supply side of the compression fitting. I repaired it . Then again today the supply water line sprouted another pin hole water leak one to two inches up from the compression fitting.
I am gathering that plastic supply hoses are vulnerable to pin hole leaks. Does anyone know if there there are plastic lines that have a higher PSI rating than others? If so, can anyone give me any insight or share thier knowledge base. Or should I yank the plastic out and replace it with copper – even with the line be connected to my non- reverse osmosis Multi-pure water filter?
Thanks ahead of time for the great answers that I know that I will receive. (This might be a great article for FH magazine…whatcha think???)
Stan
Replies
I personally have had problems with plastic lines becoming brittle and leaking. I now use copper for ice maker lines and put a valve at the end and use a stainless braid covered Teflon line for the flex connection to the fridge.
Thanks BigBill for your reply.
Since posting my question I have done some research. What about replacing the existing plastic tubing with 1/4" PEX?
Stan
When I bought a new refigerator a couple of years ago I asked about delivery and most stores told me that they will not hook up a water connection with plastic tubing. Had too many leak and then the HO tried to blame the store's installers.I recently stripped some wallpaper on a kitchen and had to move the refigerator. The lable on the back said to use Copper or a GE PEX kit. It had 1/4" PEX on it. I had never seen that before, but should be good..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Your appliance store will have one in stainless steel braiding.
Great suggestion, but I am 16' from the water filter.
After going to Home Depot, a lumber and building supply store and then finally to another hardware store, I was able to find a 20' length of 1/4" Stainless braided water connector line. As much as I really wanted PEX tubing, this I believe will be a better choice than using copper, which I found out leaves a metal taste in the water.
I want to thank EVERYONE who contributed to helping me out!!!
Thanks so much. Now I just need to find out how to go about contributing a story to FH.
Stan
This might be a great article for FH magazine...whatcha think???
I agree, you should take some photos of each type of installation for the article, write it and send it in. I understand if they publish it they'll pay you for it.
I like the one suggestion of using stainless braided flex at the end. I'v often had the problem that when I move a fridge the slight movement of the copper tubing tends to loosen it a little and cause a leak.
PEX would be a good solution, as would copper. Plastic should be outlawed.
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Never seen braided 1/4 lines for an icemaker, sink & toilet yes, icemaker no, besides the issue isn't high pressure it's bad plastic/aging. Copper is the propper route, almost every manual I've checked says copper, not plastic ..
The big box stores carry them.
Fluidmaster makes a 10' x 1/4" braided line specifically labeled for icemakers.
Fittings thread directly to 1/4" compression fittings.
10 year warranty.
JimNever underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
I ran into the same problem that you are having.
I ran 1/2" PEX and mounted a shut off behind the frig. Used a braided line from there to the icemaker water valve.
When I was the Maytag man I installed many lines to the ice maker. It was always 1/4inch copper and was curled around in a circle at the back of the fridge so you could easily pull the fridge out from the wall.
roger