Disconnect Ice Maker When On/Off Valve is Hidden in Finished Ceiling???

[sarapamela]

When we finished a playroom in the basement a few years ago, we had pointed out the on/off valve/faucet thing that was in the basement ceiling. I think it goes to the icemaker in our refrigerator upstairs. We marked it and asked them to leave an access panel. They neglected to do this!

In two days, we have to move our refrigerator so they can put hardwood floors down in the kitchen. We will not be getting a new refrigerator for a few weeks. How do we disconnect the icemaker and move the frig without having a "flood"? We don't want to tear apart the playroom ceiling looking for that pipe. Must we turn off the main water line to the house? Can we clamp off the pipe or icemaker somehow? I wish we could just move it 3-4 feet to the front hall without diconnecting it so we could keep it there until our new one is delivered and installed, but I doubt it would reach that far... We do have room for it in the mud room, and could certainly live without the icemaker until the new one arrives in a couple weeks ~ BUT we can't leave the main water off for that long!?

What is the best way to solve this problem? Thanks!

[buffalobill]

call the plumber and have him install the ice cube water lines to the mud room and to the kitchen in convenient places for your future uses. various service panels at

otherwise you will be gambling with visegrips.

[hallerb]

if this is a DIY project and your willing to live without the icemaker while the fridge is relocated

locate main home water shut off and turn off, carefully remove solenoid valve from rear of fridge, disconnect electrical connectors and water OUTPUT!

Tape over electrical connectors remaining on fridge and move it to new location, you dont want anyone shocked like small kids by exposed electrical connections.

the solenoid valve now attached to the water line shouldnt leak, and the fridge with a non functional icemaker can now be moved to a new location.

push the icemaker control to the off position.....

you really need to address the long term access issue of the valve, frankly i hate plastered basement cielings or this reason

[Frank Boettcher]

Go get an inline compression fitting or saddle valve from the home center. Turn off the water main. Install the new valve (takes maybe ten minutes), close you new valve and turn the water main back on. Forget you ever had another valve lost in the ceiling.

[bamboo]

Add another shutoff valve where you can see it. Turn of the water main first. Should take you 5 minutes using a compression fitting.

[Jeff Wisnia]

And it sounds like you neglected to remember what you told them to do and have them make it right before you paid them, 'eh?

Jeff (The Devil made me say that...)

[mm]

If you do that, by adding more hose, let the hose end at the refrigerator or firmly tied IN the sink, so that if the clamp fails, it will drain into the sink.

Sure you can. How far is the nearest stream?

[sarapamela]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I am glad we seem to have a few options to try and that we will not have to "resort to using the closest stream"!?

Yes, we paid the contractor before realizing that, in spite of our pointing out the valve and putting up a sign, the ceiling guy failed to provide the access to that area...