Q - water line to fridge

[Aram]

New fridge will have ice maker, old fridge does not. There is a copper line running from under my sink to behind the fridge. It's been open on both ends for at least 12 years, and who knows how long before that.

Is there any reasonable way for me to clean it and use it, or no?

Thanks in advance.

[Robert Adams]

If it were me I'd replace it. Course the insides of water pipes and water mains are way nastier than what could be inside that old tube.

[Aram]

Robert Adams said:

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If it were me I'd replace it. Course the insides of water pipes and water mains are way nastier than what could be inside that old tube.

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Yeah, I could see that. Problem is that line runs behind cabinets. Hard to see an easy way to swap. I'll be replacing those cabs later this year (hopefully) but getting the fridge very soon, and it would be nice to make sure the ice maker was working ok.

[Bob10]

can you get under the floor and run up under the wall behind the fridge and install a proper box with an angle stop?

[fixtureman]

I would just flush it out and use it. Copper doesn't go bad from non use.

[fredhargis]

fixtureman said:

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I would just flush it out and use it. Copper doesn't go bad from non use.

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True, that. About the worse thing that could happen is it would be clogged from a bug nest or such. It might be useful to flush with some anti bacterial solution (bleach comes to mind) but I'd think if it wasn't previously damaged it should work just fine. If you can put in one of those frig connection boxes it would be a good thing.

[Snipe Hunter]

I don't see any difference between this copper line and pipe sitting on a shelf at a hardware store. Run some water through it.

[GHR]

Aram said:

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[blockquote]Robert Adams said:

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If it were me I'd replace it. Course the insides of water pipes and water mains are way nastier than what could be inside that old tube.

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Yeah, I could see that. Problem is that line runs behind cabinets. Hard to see an easy way to swap. I'll be replacing those cabs later this year (hopefully) but getting the fridge very soon, and it would be nice to make sure the ice maker was working ok.

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[/blockquote]

Just run a new water line inside the cabinets near the back.

[Woodenfish]

If you want to replace it, connect a union to the old line and to the new line and pull it through the cabinets.

[blackhat]

Hook up the supply end and flush the line into a bucket for a couple minutes before connecting to the fridge.