Moving water line for refrigerator along a wall..under trim?


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Old 07-28-16, 06:29 AM
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Moving water line for refrigerator along a wall..under trim?

Hello everyone,

I've got a question I'm hoping you can help me with. I do a decent amount of small-time DIY work around the house, but I have done zero work with plumbing. Here's my situation, and hopefully you can see my kitchen diagram well in the attachment:

We have a galley kitchen with the fridge as the first thing along the wall, then cabinets. On the opposite side of the kitchen are more cabinets and the sink. We've got a fairly small house (1200 square feet) that sits on a slab and the kitchen is the smallest part. In an effort to make more counter and cabinet space, we've decided to move the fridge down the wall; our "dining room" is really just where the kitchen wall backs in about 3 feet into the garage. We'd like to move the refrigerator into this recessed space and then put some more cabinets in where the refrigerator is currently located.

There is a water line that has been run to the spot where the refrigerator is currently. I have no idea how it is connected to the water pipes, but I've got a box with a on/off valve and from there we hook up the hose to the fridge.

Here's my dilemma; I am not sure how to run the water line to the new location. I am not certain, but I cannot imagine there are any water pipes that run along the wall where this is going, as the garage is behind and the laundry hookups aren't close, and the water lines to the sink are on the opposite wall.

After reading through countless forums and threads here, I saw one where a guy had to run his water line around a door frame, and someone suggested he pull the trim and run the line up and around the door inside the trim. This seemed like a good idea to me!

My question is, can I use the same inlet that is already in the current location with the on/off valve, and hook up a long hose, run under the kickplate of the cabinet that will go in its place and then under the trim, and follow the wall (making two 90 degree turns) inside the trim until it gets to the new location, and then just have it pop out of the trim or in a new box with a new valve (whatever works) to the new location?

Happy to provide pictures if that is helpful, but essentially wondering if it is possible (and to code) to run the water line under/inside the baseboard trim and, if so, what type of hose/line should I use.

Thanks so much!

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Last edited by PJmax; 07-28-16 at 09:07 PM. Reason: removed duplicate pic
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Old 07-28-16, 06:59 AM
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Is there basement or crawl space below those areas?
 
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Old 07-28-16, 07:09 AM
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No basement or crawl space...just a slab. I do have good attic access in this area if that would be a possibility.
 
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Old 07-28-16, 08:23 AM
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Best would be to tie into the house's piping directly instead of the existing shutoff valve. Each valve and connection is a possible point for a leak or failure so going direct might be more reliable. If running a small 1/4" line I would use poly instead of copper.
 
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Old 07-28-16, 11:28 AM
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You can run a small pipe under the baseboard. It's not the best solution, but it will work. Just be aware of it as you nail the baseboard back in!
 
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Old 07-28-16, 03:21 PM
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I do have good attic access in this area if that would be a possibility.
Your best bet is to go up and over through the attic. If the proposed location is an interior wall it will be easier, but it should be run through the attic either way IMO.
A fridge requires a 1/4" line but I would run either 1/2" soft copper or 3/8" copper tube through the attic. Either one can be adapted at both ends.
Do not run any type of 1/4" poly tubing through the attic, even if it's approved for ice lines.
 
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Old 07-29-16, 05:33 AM
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Water Line

If you run the line through the attic, be sure to protect from freezing.

What is behind the wall? Is it the garage? If so, remove the wall covering in the garage and run Pex inside the wall to the new location.

Just my 2 cents. Good luck with your project.
 
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Old 08-01-16, 07:37 AM
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The garage is on the other side of the wall, but there is shelving attached to the outside walls and it wouldn't be an easy task at all to take the shelving and outside wall to run PEX through.

I think the attic run and the behind the baseboard trim would be the two most attractive ideas to me, and of those two the behind the trim idea sounds like the best idea for my situation. I assume 1/4" copper piping would be the best idea here? In case it matters, we only have an icemaker hooked up, our refrigerator does not have water in the door.

Second question, assuming that 1/4" copper piping is the way to go, do they make tiny elbows for this to navigate around the corners?

Thanks for the responses everyone; I appreciate it!
 
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Old 08-01-16, 07:46 AM
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1/4 tubing bends very easy. Just be sure you don't kink it. If you are worried about it there are tubing benders. here are some, I think the second one would work for you.
Shop tubing benders at Lowes.com: Search Results
 
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Old 08-01-16, 11:29 AM
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1/4" copper piping is the way to go, do they make tiny elbows for this to navigate around the corners?
Yes, you can get 1/4" x1/4" compression elbows for the corners. Be careful to not over tighten the fittings.
 
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Old 08-11-16, 07:39 PM
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Hello everybody, thanks for all the responses. I decided to go with running 1/4" PEX under the trim/behind the baseboard, and I bought some Sharkbite fittings to handle the elbows, in case I wasn't able to bend the PEX sufficiently (not sure I'll need these after looking at the trim.

However, I am having an issue finding fittings for the ends of the cables. The supply line at the wall and the refrigerator hookup are both males that require a typical 1/4" supply line, and I have a cable that looks like this right now:

Shop EASTMAN 20-ft 400-PSI PVC Ice Maker Connector at Lowes.com

I could buy a polyethylene kit that would work, but figured that the PEX would be a much more robust connection and I shouldn't run polyethylene where you can't see it, behind the trim.

I cannot, for the life of me, find a push-to-connect fitting that has the right end on it at Home Depot, Lowes or Menards, that works with PEX...should I be going to a local plumbing supply company, or are there fittings online? I didn't think it would be this difficult to find the right fitting...
 
 

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