That plastic tubing is sketchy, right? I just moved into my place last year and noticed the same yellowed tube behind the fridge. I’m kind of paranoid, so I swapped it out with one of those steel braided lines too—took maybe 20 minutes and honestly, it felt like a big upgrade for not much money. The saddle valve thing worries me though… mine looks ancient but I haven’t worked up the nerve to mess with it yet. For the ice maker itself, I lucked out—turns out it was just a frozen fill tube, so all I needed was a hair dryer and some patience. Not sure how long my luck will hold, but fingers crossed.
That old plastic tubing is a disaster waiting to happen—seen way too many leaks from those over the years. Swapping to braided is a solid move. As for saddle valves, yeah, they’re notorious for failing or clogging up. If it’s ancient, I’d keep an eye on it, maybe even consider replacing with a proper valve if you’re feeling ambitious. Frozen fill tubes are pretty common, but at least that’s an easy fix. Just don’t trust your luck too long with those old parts... they have a way of picking the worst possible time to fail.
Couldn’t agree more about the plastic tubing—seen a few too many kitchen floods from those. Braided lines are just a safer bet, even if they cost a bit more up front. I’d add that if you’re already swapping out the line, it’s worth checking the shutoff valve too. Those old saddle valves can be a pain, and sometimes they don’t fully close when you need them to. If you’re comfortable with a little DIY, replacing it with a quarter-turn valve is a solid upgrade. Just takes a bit of patience and the right wrench.
Those old saddle valves can be a pain, and sometimes they don’t fully close when you need them to. If you’re comfortable with a little DIY, replacing it with a quarter-turn valve is a solid upg...
Honestly, I get the worry about saddle valves, but I kept mine for now and haven’t had issues (yet). I know everyone says quarter-turn is better, but for someone not super handy, messing with plumbing always makes me nervous. I did swap to the braided line though—worth it for peace of mind. Maybe I’ll tackle the valve next time if something actually leaks...
Quarter-turn valves definitely have their fans, but honestly, I’ve seen a lot of saddle valves hang in there for years without a hiccup. If yours isn’t leaking and you’re not seeing any corrosion or weird puddles, you’re probably fine for now. Swapping to the braided line was a smart move—those old plastic ones are just asking for trouble.
If you ever do decide to swap out the valve, it’s not as scary as it sounds. I used to dread plumbing stuff too, but with the water shut off, a towel handy, and maybe a YouTube video or two, it’s usually pretty straightforward. Worst case, you get a little wet and learn something for next time.
For what it’s worth, I’ve had tenants call me in a panic about leaks, and nine times out of ten it’s the line, not the valve. The quarter-turn is just nice when you actually have to shut things off fast. Anyway, sounds like you’ve got things under control for now... no sense fixing what isn’t broken, right?
