Nothing wrong with this idea provided your garage doesn't freeze or get really hot. And you'll need water supply AND drain at that location. Might want to leave processing modules under the sink for that reason and only pressure/storage tank in the garage......but that doesn't relieve your leakage worries.

One big advantage of getting out from under the sink is you may have more room in the garage (or a basement) for a pressure/holding-tank much larger than will fit under the sink.

RO water is "aggressive", as you've heard. Output should run in non-metallic lines.

Of course you'll STILL have connections under your sink for this unit no matter what you do. Not sure you'll be saving yourself from much risk-wise.

FWIW, I've had them running under-sink at two locations for twenty years. No leaks.

An RO in the garage is fine as long as it won't FREEZE.

The only instances of RO leaks I've seen are from...

1. Inferior quality ROs with inferior components and connectors and leaking saddle valves.

2. ROs installed or serviced by people who don't know what they don't know.

Proper tubing for ROs is polyethylene (PE) and it works well and is reliable.

If you're worried about RO or under-sink filter leaks then Watts has a nifty little safety shut-off. I think the part # is LPSOV

{{!gwi}}

Not really sure where you are coming from by "so may stories of leaking ROs". I almost never hear these stories and been dealing with ROs for 12 years. It really boils down to proper installation. If you look back at those stories, I wonder if they originate from people who do the work themselves and don't know what they are doing, or willing to take shortcuts.

Get it installed by a professional. Now, there can be an issue concerning filter changes where some water spills out into the cabinet but this is usually very small amounts and can be easily managed.

One question no one has addressed is distance. How far is the garage from your sink? This can greatly decrease flow rate to a trickle. Also, where would you drain it from the garage?

Andy Christensen

Thank you all.
I live in SoCal so freezing is not a problem.
I currently have the water heater (tank model) in the garage. There is provisions water heater pressure valve drain. The RO can hook up to the same drain.
The distance from the garage to kitchen is 30ft, when going through the attic.
I've been reading reviews for ROs including Watts models, and there seem to be quite a few leakage problems. Some after 6 months, some after 1-2 years. I just want to have the mess of cleaning up a flooding as that would also ruin the laminate flooring.

/Peter

Don't know the codes, but......most WH pressure-relief drainage is for emergency blow-off only, not constant drainage. Thinking constant drainage -- which is what RO processing requires -- may require code-drain. Is that what you have out there?

RO drains after 15 feet need to increase in diameter the next bigger diameter, so a 1/4 line should go to a 3/8 and then into a 1/2 for the next 15 feet. Line flow restriction will cause a 'backup' pressure and reduce production, especially if you go overhead.