The Ice Maker That Flooded a Kitchen

# The Ice Maker That Flooded a Kitchen

A homeowner woke up to the sound of dripping water and discovered their entire kitchen floor covered in standing water.

## The Background

They had recently installed a new refrigerator themselves and connected the ice maker line using a push-fit plastic tubing kit from a home store.

## The Incident

Overnight, the water supply line popped out from the fitting. The fridge continued dispensing water for hours, flooding the kitchen, damaging flooring, and soaking cabinets.

## Water-Line Discovery

We found:
- Plastic tubing not rated for constant water pressure
- No shutoff valve near the refrigerator
- Compression fitting improperly seated

## Securing the Ice Maker Line

We replaced the line with braided stainless-steel tubing, added a proper shutoff valve behind the unit, and verified pressure stability.

## Lessons Learned

- Always use **stainless-steel braided hoses** for ice makers.
- **Plastic push-fit lines** can fail under continuous pressure.
- Install a **dedicated shutoff valve** near the appliance.
- Check new installations after a few hours for leaks.

## Result: Leak-Free Operation

With proper hardware installed, the system was leak-free and pressure-stable. The homeowner’s insurance covered part of the water damage, but the lesson was expensive.