It was a splendid start to the perfect day. I woke before my alarm and greeted bright sunshine as I went about my morning routine. I should have known it was all too easy. A hissing sound, like air escaping from a balloon or water whooshing through a garden hose, got my attention, and a frantic investigation. The noise originated from behind the refrigerator, and water seeped from under the unit. Attempts to budge 325 pounds of dead weight to find a shut-off valve were futile. The next stop was the basement to the mainline access valves, where my barefoot splashed into an inch of cold water on the floor. A flood cascaded down the wall like an indoor waterfall.

The bucket brigade soon arrived to help manage the mess, followed by the plumber. Thankfully, it was not a cracked pipe. It was a broken fitting to the ice maker…