How to Install an In-line Water Filter in the Refrigerator

Pull your refrigerator from its location to gain access to the wall behind the refrigerator and to the water supply valve.

Turn off the water supply to the refrigerator. Depress the water dispenser valve in your refrigerator door to drain any water from the water lines. Turn off the ice maker in the freezer or unplug your refrigerator.

Slide a stud finder over the wall behind the refrigerator and mark the locations of the wall studs. Choose a wall stud close to the water supply valve on which to mount your in-line water filter manifold.

Mount the in-line water filter manifold to the wall stud at your chosen location. Use a power drill to drive the mounting screw, provided with the in-line water filter, through the mounting hole in the manifold, securing it to the stud.

Measure the distance from the supply valve and the inlet side of the manifold. Add 6 inches to this measurement. Transfer this measurement to the plastic water supply line from the water supply valve. Mark the measurement on the line with a pencil.

Cut the plastic water supply line with a tube cutter. Make sure you cut the line at a 90-degree angle, then use fine-grit sandpaper to clean the ends of the plastic line.

Measure and mark a distance of 3/4 inch from the end of the cut supply line. Insert the supply line end of the cut line into the input side of the manifold. Push the line into the manifold until it reaches the marked distance.

Measure the length of the water line leading from the refrigerator back to the cut you made in the supply line. Add an additional length of 1/4-inch plastic water supply line to the refrigerator side of the line if it does not equal 8 feet in length.

Install a 1/4-inch brass compression by compression coupling on the end of the supply line connected to the refrigerator. Twist the end of the coupling to compress against the supply line, securing it in place.

Cut a length of 1/4-inch plastic water supply line to increase the length of the line to 8 feet. Insert one end of the new piece of supply line into the compression coupling. Turn the end of the coupling to secure it onto the supply line.

Ensure that the end of the output side of the line you added to the refrigerator supply line is free of burrs. Use the fine-grit sandpaper to clean the ends of the line.

Measure and mark a distance of 3/4 inch from the end of the output line. Insert the line into the output side of the manifold, pushing the line into the manifold until it reaches the mark you made on the line.

Secure the input and output lines to the manifold with the locking clips supplied with your in-line water filter. Coil the access line and secure it to your refrigerator with a zip tie.

Insert the in-line filter into the bottom of the manifold. Turn the filter clockwise to secure it to the manifold.

Turn on the ice maker inside the freezer or plug your refrigerator back into the wall outlet if you unplugged it. Turn on the water valve to supply water to your refrigerator. Depress the water dispenser for about five minutes to flush any carbon from the water line.