I'm trying to remove my old fridge, which has a water line connected to a saddle valve under the sink. My new fridge doesn't have any water features, so I need to completely stop the water line. I did some basic research and found that just capping the line might lead to leaks, but I also struggled when I tried to turn off the water and adjust the fitting at the back. Water started leaking from the cold water valve instead. I don't have a lot of tools or plumber friends to help out, and I've already spent money on a used fridge and hauling away the old one. Can anyone walk me through how to do this safely?
3 Answers
If the valve is leaking when you try to adjust it, you might not have a tight seal. Try tightening the nut on the top of the valve. Once you have everything else set, make sure you have a brass cap ready to seal the opening of the line. It’s crucial to fix any leaks as the proper solution is to replace the section of the pipe that was pierced by the valve if possible.
You could use a different type of cap, but brass is more reliable for this job. If you can, get one before closing everything up.
Also, don’t skip the photos! They help a lot to understand where the problem lies. But make sure that valve is completely off. If there's leakage from it, tightening the nuts can help, but in some cases, you really have to replace the valve for a perfect fix. Just be careful when handling any pipes to avoid a bigger mess!
Sounds good, keep us posted!
Thanks! I’ll grab some pictures and update you on how it goes.
It sounds like you might be dealing with a pierce valve which pokes a hole in your water line to feed the fridge. You definitely want to shut off the water supply feeding into that valve before removing the water line entirely. Once you do that, you should be able to cap the line safely. Just make sure that once you've capped it, you double-check for any leaks before turning the water back on again!
What if I'm still getting a slow drip even after closing the valve? Will that affect the capping?
If it's just a slow drip, that's fine for now. You can still pull the water line, just cap it and then watch for leaks once you turn the water back on.
What if I don’t have a brass cap? Is there any alternative?