Installing Water Supply Lines

by Alden Smith

Anyone who has had to crawl into a kitchen cabinet to change a water faucet and supply lines can appreciate the fact that it is one of the harder things to do.  Cramped for space and limited in your movements, you have to reach over your head in a confined space and attempt to loosen the supply lines, loosen the corroded nuts that hold in the fixture, and then ensure that nothing leaks when you're done.  The difficulty of this process explains why plumbers make so much per hour. This article will focus on installing water supply lines, types of lines and materials needed.

What Is Needed

Depending on your installation, you need:

• Tubing - copper or plastic
• A tubing cutter appropriate to the material used.
• Open-end wrenches for installing lines.
• Assorted screwdrivers.
• Correct fittings for application
  

Installing a water Line For An Icemaker

A lot of refrigerators have icemakers built in.  Some have front-dispense ice makers and others will automatically make ice cubes.  Running a line for this component is relatively easy for the average do-it-yourself-er.  Here are the steps:

1. Check the basement directly underneath the refrigerator for an available cold water supply line.
2. Determine where the hole must be drilled for the water line.
3. Drill access hole.  Do this carefully to ensure you don't drill into a baseboard or too far into the room -- the hole must be under the refrigerator.  If possible, drill the hole from the top down to ensure correct placement.
4. Temporarily run the copper tubing through the access hole.  These lines are generally 1/4".  Copper is the preferred tubing here.
5. Cut tubing to length with a tubing cutter.  Ream all burrs out of tubing.
6. There are different styles of clamps that simply attach to the existing copper supply line.  Most plumbers recommend that you don't use the self-piercing style.  Use a drilled saddle-tee valve, and always attempt to fasten it on a vertical water line.  If you must attach to a horizontal line, always put the saddle-tee valve on the top to avoid rust and corrosion settling into the tee valve, causing the line to eventually plug.  Using an olive compression sleeve and compression nut, attach the water supply line to the saddle-tee valve.
7. Install an olive compression sleeve and compression nut to the other end of the line, and attach this to the input of the refrigerator.
8. Turn on the saddle-tee valve and check for leaks.
   

 Installing Flexible Lines

Older homes have copper line running from the shutoff valve to the kitchen faucet.  These lines will eventually corrode -- generally at the fittings, which can cause damage to the cabinet and produce mold.  A quick fix is to install the newer style of flexible lines, available at almost all hardware stores.  These lines can be moved up out of the way, allowing more storage space under the sink.

1. Shut off water valves to faucets.  You might see some leakage here because the valves are usually not turned off and on unless repairing or replacing the faucet.  Be sure to put a drip pan under the valves.
2. Using the proper size open-end wrench, remove the supply line from the valve. There is a very handy tool on the market that allows you to remove the lines from the faucet.  Called a basin wrench, it has spring-loaded jaws that swivel 90 degrees, allowing the user to either loosen or tighten the faucet nuts.  Newer faucets have plastic wing nuts that can usually be turned by hand.
3. Reattach the new flexible line in the same way.
4. Attach at water supply valve.
5. Turn on water, and check for leaks.
   

Installing a New Supply Line to A Toilet

The old supply line, generally chrome tubing, can corrode with age and begin to leak.  A good replacement for this line is a stainless steel line.  Coming in a variety of sizes and lengths, this offers the most flexibility and make installation a snap.

1. Shut off water supply at valve.
2. Flush and drain tank.
3. Using an adjustable wrench, remove line from valve.
4. Remove line from tank.  The basin wrench is a big help here.
5. Using Teflon tape, reattach the new stainless steel line to the shutoff valve.
6. Do the same on the tank end of line.
7. Turn on water supply and check for leaks.
   

Replacing water supply lines is easy if you have the proper tools for the job.  Follow these simple suggestions, and your next plumbing job will be much easier.


Alden Smith is an award winning author and regular contributor to DoItYourself.com. He writes on a variety of subjects, and excels in research.