Running water line from sink to fridge on exterior wall


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Old 02-17-20, 03:44 PM
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Running water line from sink to fridge on exterior wall

We have our sink and our fridge on the same wall and are currently running a copper line under the cabinets and then alongside the fridge. We are redoing the kitchen (new floors and cabinets) so we will be tearing everything we have out. I wanted to switch to pex line and avoid drilling holes in the new cabinets. The problem is that the wall is an exterior wall. We do have a full basement but it has been redone (ceiling, walls, etc.) and there is no access to the sub floor from underneath the kitchen.

The fridge is actually in a pop out box that is outside of the house. The walls are insulated but the floor is not (it is on posts and open to the outside air). I could optionally put some insulation in there and some plywood to close it off (and may do that). You can see the attached pdf for the current kitchen layout.

My question is, what is the best way to run PEX line from the sink to the fridge without having to tear out wall or have it freeze from going under the floor in the refrigerator area?

Thank you!
 
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Old 02-17-20, 03:48 PM
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I wanted to switch to pex line and avoid drilling holes in the new cabinets. what is the best way to run PEX line from the sink to the fridge
Drill holes in the cabinets, doing it near the top of the cabinets where it wont be seen or interfere with anything. Since heat rises, it's also warmer near the countertop. Then your pex will come out the side of a cabinet next to the fridge.
 
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Old 02-17-20, 03:52 PM
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That's not a bad idea but looking at the drawing, the fridge doesn't actually sit out that far. There is probably about 4-6 inches from the cabinet to the front of the fridge that we would see the pex line going behind the fridge. If I still it through the exterior wall there would it freeze?
 
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Old 02-17-20, 04:05 PM
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That picture wasn't there when I replied.

And your profile isn't filled out so we dont know where you live or how cold it gets. Generally if you live anywhere that pipes can freeze you never put water in an exterior wall, or in an unheated cantilevered space underneath. Yes, it would likely freeze.

I would probably shoot it down the side of the last cabinet so it could come out the bottom /side of the cabinet. You will need enough hose to hook it up before you roll it back. The pex will need to lay coiled under the fridge.
 
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Old 02-17-20, 04:13 PM
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It will freeze in winter so exterior wall is definitely out then. We are adding baseboards, is there a type of baseboard that we can run the pex behind?
 
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Old 02-17-20, 04:17 PM
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You could probably router out a spot for it if you used 3/4" thick baseboard. Or you could furr it out along the top and bottom edges so that there is room behind it.

You could also just surface mount wiremold onto the baseboard to hide it.
 
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Old 02-17-20, 10:56 PM
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The walls are insulated but the floor is not (it is on posts and open to the outside air).
So that floor where the refrig sits has nothing in the floor? That has to be a huge cold spot and must chill the floor for some distance in front of the frig.

If you resolve that area and keep the line on the warm side of the insulation then you will have more options to get around the corner and to the back of the frig!
 
 

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