How to Install a Water Line for Your Ice Maker

Last Updated on November 12, 2021

Installing a water line for your ice maker is an easy project that you can do yourself. The how-to guide below will provide step by step instructions on how to install the water line so you don’t have any problems with leaks or other issues in the future. Read on to find out how!

What tools do I need before I begin?

A how-to guide for installing a water line can be done with just two tools, but having some extras won’t hurt. You’ll need the following:

• Pipe Cutter 
• Pipe Wrench 
• Slip Joint Pliers 
• Hacksaw Blades (For Cutting Copper) 
• Tubing Bender Tool 
• Socket Set For Tightening The Copper Fittings 
• Plumbers Tape 
• Rags And Pipe Cleaners.

The Step by Step Process of Installing a Water line

How long will each step take me? The entire process of how to install a water line for your ice maker can take about an hour or less, depending on how quickly you work. Let’s take a look at each step:

Step One – Preparing the Ice Maker

The first thing you need to do is prepare your ice maker by turning it off and unplugging it. Remove any accessories from the front of it as well.

Step Two – Cut a Hole in the Wall for Drilling

Find where you want to install your water line and measure how big you need to make the hole so that it’s large enough for both ends of your tubing to fit through, but not too big that they’ll slip back out. When drawing your circle, try using masking tape instead of pencil because this will give you a cleaner look when finished with step two. You can use a jig saw or even an electric drill if one is available, otherwise just go at it with a hand drill (which will take quite some time). Make sure there are no cords near where drilling will occur! 

Once done making the opening on the wall, it’s time to drill through the floor for your water line. To do this you’ll need a hammer and some nails or screws that are long enough to hold down one end of how tubing when inserted into them from below. Put these in place where you think will work best with how big your hole is on the wall (you can move them around until they’re right). 

Once everything has been hammered securely in place, go back up top and remove masking tape if using this method instead of pencil/pen. Now take a measurement between where all three pieces of hardware will be located: ice maker, top floor opening for water pipe, bottom floor opening for water pipe. Use a hacksaw blade to cut how ever much copper pipe is needed to connect all three.

Step Three – Connecting the Tube With Your Fittings and Plumbing Tape

Now that how ever much copper pipe you need has been cut, it’s time to do a dry run of how everything will be connected. Make sure how water line fittings are threaded in the right direction for connecting with your tubing before pushing them onto either side of how copper piping ends (the plumber’s tape goes on after this). Tighten things down well using slip joint pliers or a wrench so there won’t be any leaks when actually hooking up water later on! 

Once you’ve finished doing your dry run, take the tube back off and use some more plumbing tape around where each fitting meets how copper piping. Make sure how water line is tight and won’t slip off of how fittings when you turn on the ice maker!

Step Four – Connecting to Water Supply 

Now it’s time for connecting how water line tubing to your home’s main water supply. First, remove how plastic insulation from how ends (you’ll want a sharp blade or scissors for this). Once done with that, use some Teflon tape around where each end meets up with its corresponding fitting on either side: one going into how wall opening/ice maker and another going into your home’s main shutoff valve outside underneath an outdoor faucet. Now connect everything tightly and reattach how insulation if needed before turning back on the ice maker!

Step Five – Testing the Ice Maker 

Now that how water line is connected, it’s time to test how ice maker. Turn on your outdoor faucet and allow how tube to fill with water before turning on how ice maker for a minute or two. Check underneath where fittings are located inside wall opening/ice maker connection point as well as around how area of tubing leading into main shutoff valve outside in order to make sure there aren’t any leaks! You can use soapy water if you have some available also. If everything checks out okay, turn off how unit and disconnect how water supply from outdoors using an adjustable wrench (this should be done after testing). Now enjoy your new source of refreshingly cool water!

Conclusion – Wrapping Up

We hope these steps have been helpful in how to get water line set up for your ice maker so you can have limitless amounts of cold, refreshing water on demand! This guide should be a straightforward guide on how to install a water line if you follow these directions step by step and have everything on hand. 

If you still aren’t sure how something is done or how water line was installed, give a local plumber’s office a call for help before proceeding with anything else!