Missing Refrigerator water line valve

Question

Moved into a 1960s home recently, and had a fridge deliverd. The Lowe's delivery guys were perplexed, but spent about 15 minutes looking for a valve to turn the water on for the fridge, but were ultimately unsuccessful. Obviously there is no vale box where the fridge cutout is.

The fridge is on the opposite side of the kitchen as the sink, with no bathroom nearby. I poked a small hole in the wall where the water line pokes out, and poked my cell phone around and took pictures. All I can tell is the water line goes upstairs, but I could not see exactly where.

I checked both bathrooms upstairs and there is no 1/4 inch flexible piping connected under either, so ultimately I am unable to easily see where the existing water line goes.

Any ideas where else it could be connected to, or where a valve may be?

(FYI, the home was built in the mid 1960s, and was an investor flip, so we have zero contact with the last people who actually lived in the home).

Answer 1

Search inside the kitchen cupboards, especially under the sink. If that doesn't turn up anything, some idiot probably drywalled over it when they did some "improvements" before flipping the house.

In that case, you may have to drill some small holes in the walls to find it. You can get pretty cheap (like under $30) USB inspection cameras you can hook up to a laptop, so you only have to make small holes to look around.

Once you find it, you can cut the drywall away and make it accessible. Google "access panel" for ready made doors to mount over it. If you want to be really nice to future you, put a label behind the fridge describing where the valve is.

Answer 2

We recently ran into the same problem. Once we turned off the condo's water supply, the plumber had no problem installing a new valve between the supply line and the refrigerator. Took about 15 minutes.

Answer 3

I have even seen the valve in the attic space done during a re-pipe of the original plumbing But usually there under a sink either the kitchen or a bathroom or laundry room nearest the appliance

Answer 4

Since the supply goes up and you don't see it in the bathroom they may have tied it in to the plumbing with a saddle tap. I have never see one that was not accessible I would also check the tub/ shower especially if there is an access hatch or cover.