Chillers for filtered water - concerned about reliability?

12 years ago

The thread on filtered water has me begging to ask this question.

My husband is very laid back regarding the kitchen remodel. He hasn't even looked at the plans! He totally trusts me and pretty much doesn't care as he doesn't cook/clean up at all. The ONLY thing he wanted in the new kitchen was cold drinking water. We remodeled in our previous home and bought a refrigerator with chilled water in the door. He didn't like it because it was too slow and not cold enough and really wanted an instant cold at the sink. I'd planned on putting a chiller with filtered water in but was scared off by all the negative things I read and heard. That previous remodel I mentioned was because of a failed faucet that caused over $27,000 in damage to our home.

Anyway, one plumbing supply place I was getting bids on said they really didn't recommend chillers because of their high failure rate and tendency to burst and cause water damage. Scary. The only one they would recommend if someone insisted on getting one was the Insinkerator brand. Keyword - insisted. I purchased Waterstone faucets for the new kitchen and Waterstone's site has a disclaimer for those using chillers that use of a chller on one of their products will void the warranty. I called Waterstone and was told that if I insisted on using a chiller with one of their faucets, they recommend using a hot only filtration faucet because it is vented, however that would still void the warranty. Every plumbing supply company that I've talked with has said the essentially the same thing - avoid chillers or put one in at your own risk.

So here I am putting in this gorgeous new kitchen and the ONE thing my husband said he wanted isn't going to happen. I feel terrible about him ending up with a Brita in the fridge.

I read on the other thread that several have put in chillers so . . . . I'm asking what others have heard/experienced.

TIA!

Comments (5)

breezygirl
12 years ago
I heard the same things about chillers from a couple of local plumbing showrooms when I started to investigate chilled water. I had planned a fridge with internal water until my layout changed, and I needed to go with a different kind of fridge. I didn't like the brands offering internal water at that point. When I heard about the chillers "issues" I decided my water didn't need to be chilled so I focused on getting filtered water instead.

I'm very curious to see what others say on this. This may be a case of using the standard party line, kind of like "oh, you can't use marble in your kitchen. It's soft; it scratches; it chips; and it stains. You'll hate it."
poohpup
Original Author
12 years ago
We're putting filtered water tap at the sink (along with instant hot) but hubby really wants chilled water. I prefer mine room temp.

I'm curious what others have to say too!
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jscout
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poohpup
Original Author
12 years ago
Sounds like we're hearing the exact same thing. I'd been thinking of keeping a Brita in the fridge but find those do annoying because they take so long to fill. Like the idea of using the filtered tap to fill a pitcher for the fridge. Now why didn't that simple solution occur to me? That was a rhetorical question. Don't want an answer to that. Lol
taggie
12 years ago
Well if you wanted to you could always connect it to one of those auto water shut off valves (same things people put on their 2nd floor washing machines). I think they are about 20 bucks from home depot.

We are just living on the wild side though, going direct to plumbing. :)

Chillers for filtered water - concerned about reliability?

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breezygirl

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Chillers for filtered water - concerned about reliability?

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breezygirl

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jscout

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taggie

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