All refrigerators have a water line that is being connected to them, and we are here to guide you on how to turn off water to fridge. The supply line of cold water has a shut-off valve that connects to the house. It is typically located below the sink in the kitchen, in the cabinet, basement, or crawl space near the fridge.
You will see that there is a small copper line of about ¼ inches. This is being attached to the water supply line with the use of a T-valve or also known as a saddle valve. This saddle valve has a tiny post that sticks out from its side. It will look like a wire that runs through the valve center.
Keep on reading this post as we will be providing the steps on how to turn off the water to the fridge. But before anything else, let us first know the things that you will need to do this. It includes pliers and a wrench. So, how to turn off water to fridge?
Steps On How To Turn Off Water To Fridge
One important component of most fridges having a water dispenser, icemaker, or both is its water valve. Without this water valve, repairing the damages or leaks in the water dispenser or ice maker of the fridge will be extremely hard.
Given that it is not practical or advisable to shut the whole water system off, it is essential to install this particular water valve inlet. Doing so will also allow you to control the water flow from the water system to the fridge.
Below are the steps that should be taken in shutting off the water valve inlet of the fridge during maintenance.
Step #1. Turning off the fridge ice maker
Before you shut off water to the fridge, remember to turn the icemaker off first. Otherwise, the ice maker will continue to cycle on and off which can possibly damage the valve. To do this, hold the shut-off valve and turn it in a clockwise direction. Keep turning it until the valve stops working.
Step #2. Locating the fridge water valve
Finding out where the water valve is located can be a bit tricky. This is especially true if someone else installed the inlet valve. But most often than not, it is located at the back wall of the refrigerator.
Move the fridge forward to see the location of the inlet valve. In case it is hidden inside a box that is cover by a metal or plastic guard, you need to unscrew this to have the valve revealed.
If you cannot find the inlet valve at the back of your fridge, then you may start at the water supply. Follow the line to find the valve. It may be located near the water supply under the sink.
Step #3. Shutting off the inlet valve
It is generally easy to shut off the majority of the water valves. It is either equipped with a knob or lever used in shutting it off. Perhaps, a lever is used in turning it on or off, you will know that it is in an open position when the lever is lining up with the water supply line.
Now, to shut it off, you need to rotate the lever so that it will be perpendicular to the waterline. But if the water valve is using a knob, it can be shut off by rotating the knob clockwise.
Remember that sometimes it can be a bit hard to rotate the knob or lever. That is because you rarely use it. This is especially true if you have not used it for too long already. In such a case, you need to shut the main water supply off so that a water mess will be avoided in case the water valve breaks as you force it.
Using pliers or wrenches in unsticking the knob might even be necessary. But before doing that, take a look at the water valve carefully. See whether or not there is a large nut located at the base of the shaft. This must be moved using a wrench as you are working on the lever or knob to make it lose.
Then, take it off the valve. You should clean this out and replace its seals before putting it back together. After you completed this, you can already turn back on the main water supply line.
Helpful Tips To Remember
If you cannot shut off the water valve of the fridge easily, replacing it with a new valve is ideal. This is to ensure that you can shut it off easily in the future when needed. Remember that it is important to shut off the water valve, especially when the ice maker or water dispenser needs repairs.
Perhaps, you are just about to install your inlet valve, make sure to put it somewhere that can be easily spotted. Doing so will make it easier and faster to shut it off later, as opposed to when you have to go somewhere hardy reached just like under your kitchen sink.
It’s A Wrap!
Follow the above steps on how to turn off water to fridge. This can a bit hard, but you can get this done with extra effort.