Ice Maker Supply Line Public Service Announcement

[Vtshopdog]

We had the unfortunate experience of a flooded basement due to a 1/4" plastic pipe compression fitting (barb and olive type) that came free of an inline filter for our refrigerator.  Accumulated over 2" of water in one area in less than 3 hours.  All cleaned up and insurance paying for everything, but had an interesting conversation with one of the disaster mitigation techs that was in and out of our house while drying the basement.  He told me leaking refrigerator water lines are a major source of business for them.  Huge actually.

My feed line was mostly flared copper with a short  segment of plastic that got retrofitted when we replaced all our galvanized pipe with PEX.  At time of install I think copper or poly were the only choices.  Have now replaced everything with braided stainless 1/4" compression fitting lines similar to what is used on sinks.  These are way more stout with robust connection nuts and additionally found one that incorporates an automatic shutoff should a high flow rate be detected.

Available widely, but here is a 10' with shutoff valve at HD for $20-ish in case anyone wants to fix-it-before-it-breaks:https://www.homedepot.com/p/HOMEWER...-Maker-Supply-Line-7253-120-14-2-BP/207158418

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[Peter_C]

Refrigerator water line failure is common and can make a whole lot of water spread very quickly. My friends house flooded when the fridge water filter cracked and they got off easy. After getting a large quote for repairs like replacing the batting insulation under the house, we decided to just handle it with a fan pushing air under the house for a week with two fans in the kitchen, plus a dehumidifier, and new carpet that was needed anyway. Slight lower kick panel water marks on the cabinets, but one had to look closely.

Those braided stainless lines fail often too by blowing out the plastic hose internally. Always routinely replace washing machine hoses as the vibration is hard on them. Copper tends to leak more than have a complete blow open failure. Our fridge has copper for the inside lines, except inside fridge, with the reverse osmosis filtration and tank under the house, cause yeah...plastic lines fail. I had one of the RO filter housings blow out, fortunately it was shut down quickly, hardwood floors saved.

In freezing temps water can destroy a house.

 

[Bob D.]

"...due to a 1/4" plastic pipe compression fitting (barb and olive type) ..."

Many of these fail because they have been overtightened or have been loosened then tightened multiple times. Every time you take one of these compression fittings apart you need to tighten up just a little more than last time to get a watertight connection. Do that 4 or 5 times and if one of those times someone has a heavy hand and gives it an extra 1/2 turn then before you know it you are cutting the poly tubing by compressing the ferrule on it.

In an industrial setting compression fittings (some cost over $200 for one 1/4" fitting so not junk) are normally used a second maybe a third time depending on how they make up. This is tested with a Go-No Go gauge. Now I know no one is doing that for residential work or even on a commercial job, but that's what is done when it counts, and that's on copper or SS tubing not poly or even nylon tubing.

Best thing is cut the old ferrule and an inch of tubing off and go with new. Make sure you have the insert in the tube to back up the ferrule. OR better yet don't use poly tubing for applications like this.

 

[Vtshopdog]

I suspect the culprit was the in line filter mounting.  Two screws hold the housing head and filter cartridge hangs below.  Top screw was loose and whole assembly could rattle around.  Likely every time the ice maker valve snapped shut there was a bit of rotation in the filter assembly right in axis of the water lines and it simply reached the cycle limit and line popped off.

We had been out of town several days, there was no leaking when we returned and went in that area at 8:00 pm but by 10:30 it was 2-3" deep.  I count myself lucky.

The check valve gizmo on the new line should vastly reduce possibility of recurrence.  (ditched the filter too)  I now have service PEX line connected to brass shutoff which then connects to the new line with check valve first thing. 

Replacing my under sink water filter lines next....

 

[Bob D.]

I had the PVC fitting crack on the line from the well pump just inside the house. Fortunately it split on the side facing the wall and sprayed on the wall and down to the floor. So it didn't spray all over that corner of the basement. I was lucky I was home but it was 2AM and asleep.

My HA system alerted me with a txt msg to my phone and Alexa started yelling at me saying water was detected near the well pump. I have sensors all around the house at places where a water leak could develop. It could happen anywhere the pipes run I know but the bathrooms, laundry room, kitchen, mechanical room, and the well tank and water filtration system are the most likely. All have sensors that alert immediately when water is detected.

This detector sits on the floor next to the well tank and when the water reached it I got the alert seconds later. By the time I got downstairs there was water spreading over a third of the basement floor. Not deep yet but as I was to find out when picking all that water up close to 25 gallons. Amazing how much water spews out of a 2 inch split in a 1-1/4" pipe at 60PSI in just a couple minutes. The pump can deliver 10GPM at 60PSI. And it might have kept going until the electric shorted out by flooding the service disconnect mounted about 40 inches above the floor. If no one was home I don't know what might have stopped it before that.

Took a few hours for us to clean up and a few things got trashed. But I know it would have cost a lot more if I didn't get that alert from that relatively cheap $20 leak sensor connected to SmartThings. If I had not been home it would have been worse of course but I still would have got an alert and could head home or have someone check it out.

I recently bought a 240v 40A remote controlled switch that I can have SmartThings use to turn off the well pump if a leak is detected. That will reduce but not eliminate the amount of water damage. It's not installed yet but I hope to do so soon.

 

[squall_line]

I had the PVC fitting crack on the line from the well pump just inside the house. Fortunately it split on the side facing the wall and sprayed on the wall and down to the floor. So it didn't spray all over that corner of the basement. I was lucky I was home but it was 2AM and asleep.

My HA system alerted me with a txt msg to my phone and Alexa started yelling at me saying water was detected near the well pump. I have sensors all around the house at places where a water leak could develop. It could happen anywhere the pipes run I know but the bathrooms, laundry room, kitchen, mechanical room, and the well tank and water filtration system are the most likely. All have sensors that alert immediately when water is detected.

This detector sits on the floor next to the well tank and when the water reached it I got the alert seconds later. By the time I got downstairs there was water spreading over a third of the basement floor. Not deep yet but as I was to find out when picking all that water up close to 25 gallons. Amazing how much water spews out of a 2 inch split in a 1-1/4" pipe at 60PSI in just a couple minutes. The pump can deliver 10GPM at 60PSI. And it might have kept going until the electric shorted out by flooding the service disconnect mounted about 40 inches above the floor. If no one was home I don't know what might have stopped it before that.

Took a few hours for us to clean up and a few things got trashed. But I know it would have cost a lot more if I didn't get that alert from that relatively cheap $20 leak sensor connected to SmartThings. If I had not been home it would have been worse of course but I still would have got an alert and could head home or have someone check it out.

I recently bought a 240v 40A remote controlled switch that I can have SmartThings use to turn off the well pump if a leak is detected. That will reduce but not eliminate the amount of water damage. It's not installed yet but I hope to do so soon.

After my parents lost their kitchen and part of their basement to a water leak and then even the new hot water spigot leaked (twice), my dad has a similar "detectors connected to SmartThings" policy.  The hot water spigot is completely and permanently disconnected  and now serves as a ziploc bag drying rack.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) all of my water leaks over the years have been slow drips that destroyed wallboard or subfloors over a period of time.  Well, there was that one time that I found out how bad the drain flange leak really was after I got out of an otherwise relaxing soak in the tub, but it was a free-standing cast-iron tub, so I was able to clean everything up with towels pretty quickly.  That was the end-cap to a pretty remarkably bad day, now that I think back on it...

 

[serge0n]

[member=60461]Bob D.[/member] and [member=75217]squall_line[/member] what leak detectors are you guys using? Do they require a hub?

 

[cpw]

I have Orbit B-Hyve ones, they do use a hub.  Have saved me from an overflowing AC pan twice and detected a slowly dripping shutoff valve another time.

 

[Bob D.]

[member=60461]Bob D.[/member] and [member=75217]squall_line[/member] what leak detectors are you guys using? Do they require a hub?

I am using this one for most of my detectors. I have another one by Utilitech that has a remote sensor that is monitoring the sump in the basement.

The Samsung detector is nice in that it has contacts on the top AND bottom. So in the lavs I have it sitting directly under the trap. The first drop of water to hit the top of the sensor will trigger an alert. The contacts on the bottom will react to any water on the floor or wherever it is placed. It takes less than 1mm of water to set it off. Batteries last almost a year. I've never had one disconnect from the SmartThings hub yet in 2 years.

 

[4nthony]

Those braided stainless lines fail often too by blowing out the plastic hose internally. Always routinely replace washing machine hoses as the vibration is hard on them.

In case anyone wanted to see an example of what [member=50292]Peter_C[/member] mentioned  [big grin]

I'm so glad I was home this morning. The hot water supply line on my bathroom sink decided to blow. I was able to get the water turned off in less than a minute, but I hate to think what would have happened had I not been home. Or if this had been the upstairs bathroom. I have no idea how old this line is but I'd guess 10+ years. Might be a good time to replace all of them.

I think it's time for me to look into some of these leak detectors. Is anyone using a sensor paired with a valve that can remotely turn off water service in the event of a leak?

Edit: Turns out, every sink supply line in the house is from 1999-2000.

 

[Michael Kellough]

[member=75283]4nthony[/member]  what is the water pressure at your house?

 

[Cheese]

4nthony I know you've said you reduced your water pressure from 80 to 60 psi, but I'd consider bringing it down to around 50 psi if that's possible. I'm assuming you have a conventional water heater that's probably set at 140º or higher. That combined with the high water pressure can lead to premature failures.

Our water pressure is in the 50-54 psi range and everything, washer, dishwasher, sprinklers work fine with that amount of water pressure. I've set the tankless water temperature to 125º so that also helps with the longevity of hoses.

 

[4nthony]

[member=75283]4nthony[/member]  what is the water pressure at your house?

4nthony I know you've said you reduced your water pressure from 80 to 60 psi, but I'd consider bringing it down to around 50 psi if that's possible. I'm assuming you have a conventional water heater that's probably set at 140º or higher. That combined with the high water pressure can lead to premature failures.

Our water pressure is in the 50-54 psi range and everything, washer, dishwasher, sprinklers work fine with that amount of water pressure. I've set the tankless water temperature to 125º so that also helps with the longevity of hoses.

It was in my previous house where I lowered the water pressure. I'm not sure what the pressure is in the new house but I have a pressure gauge I can thread on to a spigot to check.

When we moved in last year, we replaced the conventional water heaters with tankless. The temps are set to 120°.

I just got back from the blue big box store with new supply lines for all the sinks and toilets. The washing machine and ice maker lines are about a year old old so those will stay for a few more years. The dishwasher line doesn't look to be as old as the other lines but we're planning to swap out the dishwasher soon so I'll get that hose with the new dishwasher.

As for sensors, I'm thinking of trying out the Fibaro Flood Sensor for Homekit. I'm invested in the Homekit ecosystem so it makes sense to stick with it.

I found Moen Flo Smart Water and Shutoff valve. It's expensive -- although, probably cheaper than the cost of repairing water damage -- and it's not natively compatible with Homekit but there is a Homebridge plug-in. I use Homebridge to connect my Nest products to Homekit and so far it's been working well.

There are less expensive solenoid shutoff valves that I'll research. Fibaro has a support article for using their flood sensor with such a valve.