A Moment Of Panic!!!

[Diggin It]

Step out in the kitchen and notice water on the floor near the stove. I had just cooked some pasta and it boiled over a bit, so figuring it was from that, I mopped it up and moved on. Little while later, I go back in the kitchen and more water. Oh Good. Look down behind the stove (and reminded myself I need to clean back there) and I see water on the floor ... no way it came from the pasta back there. Then I notice water on the drywall.... just a bead or two that slowly dripped to the floor before another bead appeared. This can't be good.

This is a 60 year old house with a lot of problems. The roof leaked pretty bad a few years back. Putting a metal roof on stopped that. But now I'm thinking I've developed a new leak somewhere. It's raining gently, not storming but enough that it could be from that. So, I go upstairs and open the cubby hole into the attic and look around for signs of a leak. Not a drop. Bone dry.

Bathroom is on the other side of the wall from the kitchen. Go in there and open the water wall looking for a pipe leak. Nothing.

I got to find out how this drywall is getting wet. Somehow there must be water leaking behind it and it found a way to seep through a bad spot or screwhole. Pull the stove out and take a screwdriver to punch a small hole thinking water would run out. Nope. Grab a paper to wipe the wall off and see if the wet spot is close by. As I'm doing that, I feel spray. Vary faint, almost a mist. That's when I realize the line to the icemaker is right there. Hold my hand to it and sure enough, the spray. So faint I can't see it, only feel it.

This icemaker line is the plastic type and has been there nearly 20 years. I used plastic because I had copper lines leak in the past. How the hail does a 1/8" plastic line develop a pinhole leak behind the stove when it's never moved or bumped?

An hour of panic, a bathroom water wall to close back up, a hole in drywall to spackle and no line to replace the leaky one. At least it's not summer when I need ice.

Guess that trip to town I was planning for next week will get moved up to tomorrow after all.

 

[Atchuuu]

Glad it wasn't anything serious.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Had a similar episode about 6 months ago. Walked into the kitchen and felt wetness on the feet. Looked down thinking someone spilled something....nope...every step resulted in water squishing up through the seams of the laminate floor. WTH?... Heard an ever so quiet ssssssssssss.

Had the same pinhole in the plastic ice maker line. Cost me about 2 days of removing an area of about 6x10' of ruined flooring. I had to take the matching floor out of a spare bedroom because it was no longer available. Then I had to get a new floor for the bedroom. It was still cheaper and faster to do than replace the entire kitchen floor ( 18x28'). I still haven't hooked the ice maker back up and probably won't.

 

[ruffdog]

Many times the icemaker line is hooked to a copper line with a piercing clamp thing with a rubber seal. Down the road those blasted icemaker lines have been the cause of lots of leaks.

 

[oosik]

I had puddles on the kitchen floor every morning - until I got the new puppy trained. That first time I got up - half awake - standing bare foot in a puddle in the middle of the kitchen floor.

We had exactly what ruffdog describes and it did leak after about ten years. That is why - no auto ice maker in the refrig here.

 

[Diggin It]

I've had the saddle valve issue in the past too, so this time I ran a T off the 1/2" PVC line in the bathroom and used a basin/sink type compression valve.

This feed line runs through the wall coming out behind the stove, then takes a gradual wide turn and goes through a small cabinet to the refrigerator. If it had started to leak inside that wall, I could be telling a whole different story.

 

[dougtrr2]

I went into my basement workshop and had water on the tops of some of my tools. I could not figure out where the water came from.... until the furnace kick on and the line to the humidifier started spraying.

Doug in SW IA

 

[gary49]

Copper lines leaking likely mean your water is acid, as in the pH is low. I'll bet you get blue-green stains on your fixtures. That's a bad thing not only because it indicates your pipes and fittings are being dissolved, but it also means you and anyone who drinks your water is consuming copper and lead (the lead is coming from any brass in your system). If you install a calcite neutralizer, and maintain it properly, the low pH can be corrected. I think the 1/4" plastic lines are inferior to copper, they don't hold up long term and are easy for rodents to chew.

 

[Bird]

This icemaker line is the plastic type and has been there nearly 20 years.

You fellows are scaring me because I know the icemaker line in our house is plastic and has been there now for 13 years.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Yup...mine was right at about 15 years. It didn't leak at the fitting (compression type on a T on 1/2" pipe). The tubing itself had swelled just a little bit at the spot where a pinhole formed. Sprayed a light mist but under a good bit of pressure, so a lot of mist. I suspect it was going for a day or two before we even knew it was leaking. No more plastic tubes for me!

 

[cqaigy2]

I don't know how many people have told me a similar story of their ice makers springing a leak. One of the most costly was having to replace most of the very nice expensive wood flooring in a kitchen. Apparently the water had wicked down the copper pipe under the flooring where it had pooled for a while.

BTW i didn't hook up the ice maker in our fridge.

 

[orezok]

Yup, been there done that. Mine was a little different as a line inside the refer detached one night and flooded the kitchen, living room, office and hallway. We had laminate through much of the house. Insurance company was good and had damage control contractor there within hours. Considering that I live way out in the desert they must have been rolling within the hour.

The insurance company stated that since they could not match the existing flooring, they removed and replaced all the laminate in the house. Probably about 1500 SF.

I have since installed water sensors with auto shut off valves at the refer, dish washer and laundry. The one in the laundry has worked several times as my LG front load washer regurgitates a couple of cups of soapy water every couple of months. I have looked several times and cannot find the source. It only takes one drop on the sensor to shut off the water

 

[Diggin It]

This can't have been leaking for more than 20 minutes or so because I was in that same spot about then cooking and everything was dry. And it isn't exposed to heat or food spattering, so that couldn't have caused it.

 

[Diggin It]

Got it replaced. Examining the old with strong reading glasses and a bright light, I can't see an obvious point between the two blue marks I made. I see a couple of places that were apparently scuffed when I first installed it. I may try to charge it later and see if that's where the leak is.

 

[3gunr]

Go to home depot and buy a braided stainless steel flex line, No more worries

 

[turnkey4099]

I don't know how many people have told me a similar story of their ice makers springing a leak. One of the most costly was having to replace most of the very nice expensive wood flooring in a kitchen. Apparently the water had wicked down the copper pipe under the flooring where it had pooled for a while.

BTW i didn't hook up the ice maker in our fridge.

I had heard thos stories years ago and made the decision that no refrigerator of ours would have an ice maker. One also gains more room in the machine. However when I replaced the last one (ugly avocado) during the kitchen remodel I was told that in very few years there would not be any reefers without icemakers. Haven't shopped any since so I don't know if true.

 

[wagne223]

Go to home depot and buy a braided stainless steel flex line, No more worries

That is what I did during a kitchen remodel.

I also added a dedicated valve under the sink to feed it. That way if I ever need to shut it down I still have use of the sink.

 

[om21braz]

Be thankful it was not a washing machine supply line. Nothing like stepping in the back door and having your foot set down in a half-inch of water. Hope you have it repaired without incident and soon!

 

[dragoneggs]

Go to home depot and buy a braided stainless steel flex line, No more worries

That's a good idea... did that after kinking a copper line at our old house. It's been 10 years at our 'new' place and never pulled the reefer out yet!

Maybe we need a new thread similar to "Your last generator maintenance run" for our ice makers! :laughing:

 

[teejk]

I had heard thos stories years ago and made the decision that no refrigerator of ours would have an ice maker. One also gains more room in the machine. However when I replaced the last one (ugly avocado) during the kitchen remodel I was told that in very few years there would not be any reefers without icemakers. Haven't shopped any since so I don't know if true.

They work just fine. The problem was those saddle valves (clamp/pierce/done...figure it out and realize they install quickly but the design is no longer sold). A lot of fixtures will now offer a braided nylon hose but our plumber threw them away and insisted on the stainless variety tied into a brass tee from the supply line (we are 100% pex in this house after suffering from too many pin-holes in previous houses).