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We recently purchased a side-by-side refrigerator. Prior to product delivery which took a while, a plumber installed the required water line kit and valve, and told us we just need to turn the valve on after connecting the line to the fridge. The problem now that the fridge is delivered and the line connected, is that the valve does not turn at all.

I have taken a picture of the valve, hoping someone could shed some light on the issue.

enter image description here

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    That valve doesn't look particularly new, how long ago was it installed? It makes me wonder if the plumber just grabbed a possibly non-working valve off his truck instead of installing a new one. I'd call him back out to fix his work - make sure he understands that this is a repair call on his dime, not yours.
    – FreeMan
    Jan 14, 2021 at 16:17
  • This doesn't look like a new installation, maybe the copper tubing is, but not the valve. There is rust on the screw fastening the handle and blue corrosion just below it where it's sweated on. Maybe the OP didn't quite get what the plumber did and thought they were getting a new valve. If so, not much work for a plumber to attach copper tubing to an existing valve!!!.
    – George Anderson
    Jan 14, 2021 at 16:25
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    Welcome. Please take the tour. Then turn harder.
    – isherwood
    Jan 14, 2021 at 17:13
  • The copper to the valve looks new is that what the plumber installed? Old valves can be very tight and if you are turning them clockwise as big as I am I cannot turn one on. If turning counter clockwise it may take some force and in a confined space that may require some help or a cheater if you can fit a pair of channel locks in and grab the handle from the top and twist counter clockwise (all metal valves don’t usually break) plastic ones do without a cheater in my experience trying to open.
    – Ed Beal
    Jan 14, 2021 at 17:15
  • if you have a drill press, you can drill several holes next to each other in a 2x4 in the shape of the handle, then chisel it out to make a non-marring but powerful "wrench".
    – dandavis
    Jan 14, 2021 at 18:38

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That "plumber" did you no service by leaving you with old fully rotating valves that are likely to break if you force them open! They break easily without force! He's just waiting for you to break it, flood the place and call him back. I'd call him back and first ask him why he didn't install "quarter turn" valves. Get him to install quarter turn valves which are much easier to turn on and off and don't break as easily as the older, fully rotating handle kind that you have now. Was there no access to the water main to turn off the water and so he couldn't/wouldn't do this?

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  • 1/4 turn = Ball Valve, fully rotating = Gate Valve. IMHO Ball valves are much better.
    – Steve Wellens
    Jan 15, 2021 at 16:13
  • Read an article once that said that the fully rotating ones are much more likely to break. I never had someone bring me a broken 1/4 turn valve to replace. On a basic level, all that turning is a waste of time and probably causes stress to the valve. So I agree that gate valves are less superior.
    – DAS
    Jan 18, 2021 at 7:10
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Agree with others that very much doesn't look like a new valve.

Solution will be a combination of Brute force, heat and penetrating oil.

Good article that's helped me before here:

https://www.superterry.com/loosen-a-stuck-shut-off-valve/

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