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Can I hook up water line on fridge in garage?

13 years ago

We are planning to move our kenmore SxS into our garage after an upcoming kitchen renovation. We would love to be able to hook up the water line for the water dispenser so that, for example, kids playing basketball in the driveway can run in and get a drink (although we probably would not connect the ice maker) but I am concerned about the temperature in the garage.

We live in SE PA, so we have cold winters and hot summers, and the fridge will be on an interior wall, across the garage from the doors. (We've had a Whirlpool top-freezer unit in the garage for years, so I am not worried about having a refrigerator out there, just thinking about the water line.)

Is there a way to hook up the water line (perhaps insulating the exposed line) when we put the refrigerator in the garage?

Thanks!

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Comments (4)

geo91324
13 years ago
If the shut-off valve to the fridge water line is located within the (heated) house and when winter approaches you shut off the water to the fridge, drain the copper tube through the water/ice dispenser, and turn off the ice maker, you should be fine. If the shut-off valve is located in the (unheated) garage and you drain the copper tube to the fridge, etc., you still run the risk of the exposed supply line (from the house) bursting during a deep freeze.
nerdyshopper
13 years ago
We live in Eastern Washington and have a few days in the teens in winter. I just put a $30 space heater in the garage and set it to come on when the temperature drops to about 40-50 degrees in there. It runs a lot in cold weather, but prevents freezing. Our garage is a typical two car garage. The heater is about 1300 watts. That was a lot cheaper than modifying our heating system to supply some warm air to the garage.
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davidro1
13 years ago
Without seeing it, nobody knows how warm or cold your garage is in winter. Besides, the garage door is opened and closed too. But, maybe not when the outdoor temperature is far below freezing. Or, perhaps it's the opposite: you DO open that big door a lot when it's below freezing outside. Or,,,,

buy a thermometer that records high and low temperatures and you shall see that overnight lows outdoors do not create the same temperature swings inside the garage. (I'm sure you know this already too). The point is that you can, by monitoring the situation, manage the risk of freezing temperatures occurring inside the garage, instead of relying on wishful-hopeful-unknowing thinking or the polar opposite, overkill. There is nothing wrong with a minor amount of extra heat added by a temporary heater, it's not overkill in and of itself. But it increases risk in many other ways.
jgs7691
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for the responses!

I will look in to the option of having the shut off in the house, and perhaps insulating the copper line. As I said, I am confident putting the refrigerator in our garage, based on 9 years of doing so successfully with the existing "extra" fridge. (So I don't have to rely on wishful/hopeful/unknowing thinking.) Just worried about adding the water hook up.

The functioning water line is not essential, so if it's an expensive or risky fix, we just won't pursue it.

Thanks again!

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