how to plumb in an American style fridge freezer

If you’re wondering how to plumb in an American style fridge freezer, you’re not alone. An American style fridge freezer can be an excellent investment for your home, capable of giving you plenty of space for both frozen and fresh food.

Many of the American fridge freezers on the market today also come with an ice and water dispenser included. The inclusion of ice and water makes it easy to access chilled water, filtered water, and ice cubes. However, this also means you need to consider how you’re going to implement the plumbing required to connect your fridge freezers to your water line.

It’s often much more convenient to run water dispensers with a connection to your water line than it is to have your fridge manually filled on a regular basis.

Do American Style Fridge Freezers Need Plumbing In?

Whether your American fridge freezer needs a water supply connection or not will depend on the kind of fridge freezer you buy. In most cases, fridge freezers with an ice dispenser and water dispenser will need access to your plumbing. This will ensure you can access the ice and water you want without having to go to the kitchen sink.

When you get a new fridge, it’s worth looking into the plumbing required for your purchase before you bring it into your house. In some cases, you may be able to get a fridge with a manual system for tap water, but this isn’t always the case. If you need your device to be plumbed in, then you’ll have to work with a professional on the installation.

The good news is that installing a constant water supply to your fridge is generally a good idea if you do have cold water and ice dispenser because it can save you a lot of time and energy.

Do You Just Plug in a Fridge Freezer?

Two-door American-style fridge freezer

As mentioned above, how much you need to spend to have plumbed access to your water lines flowing to your fridge freezer will depend on the type of fridge freezer you get. An American style fridge with a cooled water dispenser will need its connection for efficiency reasons. However, some products can be filled in manually.

Check the information on your model and the range of American fridge freezers you’re interested in to determine whether you need to get something connected.

Suppose you are planning on installing an American fridge freezer with a push water dispenser. In that case, you’ll need to ensure the fridge is close enough to the sink to ensure you can make the water connection without too much trouble. A routing process will be much more efficient if you don’t have to line the kitchen with plumbing from one side to another.

How Do You Plumb a Refrigerator Water Line: A Step-By-Step Guide

If you’re not confident with the installation of an American fridge freezer using your own tools and equipment, the best option is to get a plumber to handle things for you. It’s better to have your fridges plumbed properly the first time around.

If you feel capable of connecting your fridge to one end of your water line, you can usually do it with relative ease. First, decide where your fridge will go and where your connection to the water line is going to be. You’ll also need to ensure you have the right fittings to link the tank in your fridge to the other end of the water pipe.

Usually, the best fittings are push-fit options that come in a T-shape. You should be able to get an installation kit included with your fridge freezer if it has cold water or an ice dispenser included. Once you have the kit and your fridge in place, follow these steps on how to plumb in an American style fridge freezer.

Step 1: Turn Off the Water Supply

Turn off the water supply valve by switching off the main valve supplying water to the sink. You’ll need to do this to stop flooding.

Step 2: Check the Waterline

Take a look at the sink and find out how your current appliances in the room are attached to the waterline. If the pipe goes under the sink, you can open the connection with the T-shaped valve. If your water tap is directly connected to the waterline, you might need to remove the tap and add the T-shaped valve here instead.

Step 3: Connect the T-Shaped Valve

Connect one end of the T-shaped valve to the water line and connect the other end to the water tap or sink. The hole left in the middle is where you screw in your piping.

Step 4: Secure the Pipe

Secure the pipe using the O ring provided and connect the braided pipe or the pipe that comes with your fridge installation kit to the valve. Pass the opposite end to the fridge freezer. If your water line goes under the sink, you might need to drill a hole into your cabinets with your tools to get to the other end of the fridge.

Step 5: Give a Space Between the Kitchen Wall and the Appliances

Make sure there’s enough space between the kitchen wall and the appliances you want to install to fit the waterline and get it plumbed in properly.

Step 6: Connect the Pipe to the Fridge

Connect the pipe to the fridge to completely install your fridge freezer. Just push the other end of the pipe on the connection in the back of the fridge. You can follow the instructions provided with your appliance here. There should be guidance on where you need to connect or install each valve.

Testing Your American Style Fridge Freezer

wooden kitchen cabinets with a silver refrigerator

After you’ve successfully connected all the valves and pipes from your water line to your fridge, don’t forget to secure all the water connections. You can look into getting more durable pipes for fridges if the options that come with your product to help you install your fridge don’t seem suitable. When everything on the other side of your fridge looks good, you can test the water.

Turn the water back on, and test the appliance. You should be able to push a button to access a glass of chilled water. Remember, you probably won’t be able to test the ice straight away, so just start with a simple drink. You should hear the tank gurgle as it deposits water if everything works.

Make sure you apply any water filter options included with your fridge when you complete the installation. A filter for your fridge freezer can help you save money on filtered water. You may also find that applying a new filter every so often is a convenient way to keep the pipes and valves in your fridge working properly.

After the tank has been allowed to work for a while, you can test the ice system. If your plumbing is installed properly and the fridge is plugged in, this should work fine. Once you’re sure that everything works, you can place the fridge wherever you want it to be in your room.

Start Plumbing in Your American Style Fridge Freezer

If your American fridge freezer requires plumbing in, it will usually advise how to sort the plumbing and access the appliance within the instructions. You can check these details as soon as you know you require plumbing for your new appliance. If you don’t feel comfortable installing the appliance yourself, the best thing you can do is get help from a plumber who has experience installing fridges with water filters.

If anything goes wrong with your plumbed fridge freezer after you attach the water supply, check that everything is properly connected to enable your water dispenser. If the ice and water dispenser is working, but the water supply doesn’t seem clean, this could be a sign that you need to change your water filters.

The water filter in a plumbed fridge freezer will need regular changing. Fortunately, you don’t require plumbing expertise for this part. You can add a water filter to your water supply, or you can simply place it in the system for your ice and water dispenser, following the instructions given by your appliance manual. The appliance should provide details on how to add your new filter to the water dispensers.

If the problem seems to be with the actual water supply, this is when you need to seek help from a plumber.

Additional Resources

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *