How do I remove the access panels before moving an Ella walk-in tub?

Before an Ella walk-in tub is moved or carried, every removable panel comes off: the access panels, the front apron, the end panel and any extension panel. On tubs with magnetic access panels you pull the panels straight off by hand, then release the apron by removing the three screws under the round white caps along its bottom edge and pulling it down and away from the lip of the tub. The full apron procedure is in How to Remove and Reattach the Front Apron on Your Walk-In Tub, and this page puts those steps in the order a move calls for.

Why Every Panel Comes Off Before the Tub Is Carried

The rule is the same whether the tub is arriving on delivery day or leaving for a new address. Ella's panel video states it plainly: all removable panels, including the front apron with its access panels, the end panel and the extension panels, must be removed before the walk-in tub is moved into the house and into the bathroom. The same video shows where each of those panels sits on the tub, so it is a helpful watch before you start.

The reason is how the tub is meant to be handled. An Ella walk-in tub is lifted and carried only by its frame, never by the plumbing, the faucet, the door or any other part. The panels are finished covers, not handles, and they sit directly over the frame you need to reach. With the panels off, the people carrying the tub can see and grip the frame, and the panels themselves travel separately where they cannot be scratched or cracked.

One more caution belongs here. The air jets on the bottom of the shell can break off if the tub is set down hard or dragged, so the tub should be lifted clear of the floor and set down gently every time.

What to Do Before You Touch a Panel

If the tub is already installed and you are taking it out, a few things come first:

• Photograph the serial label before anything is disconnected. On most models it is behind the magnetic access panel next to the door, on the inside of that panel. You will want that number for parts and support later.
• Drain the tub completely and dry it.
• Have a licensed electrician disconnect the equipment from its dedicated GFCI circuit, and a licensed plumber disconnect the supply lines and the drain. Ella does not send technicians, so this work is done by local licensed trades.
• Put on gloves. The inside edges of the plastic apron can be very sharp.

It is also worth knowing what a move means for coverage before you begin. Relocating an installed tub ends the Lifetime Limited Warranty, while free lifetime technical support and access to replacement parts continue. Moving your tub to a new house explains that in full, and your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 are happy to talk it through before anything is disconnected.

Removing the Panels in Order

Work from the outside in, so each piece you remove gives you room for the next one. On a tub with magnetic access panels and a clipped apron, the sequence is:

1. Pull the magnetic access panels off the apron. Start at one corner and pull gently away from the frame. No tools are needed. Set the panels aside somewhere flat.
2. Look along the bottom edge of the apron for three round white screw caps. Unscrew each cap by hand to expose the screw beneath it.
3. Remove the three screws with a screwdriver. These are the only fasteners holding the apron to the frame.
4. Grip the apron near the bottom and pull it down and away from the lip of the tub. The three clips along the top release as the apron drops.
5. Lift the apron clear and lean it somewhere safe so the edges do not get scratched.
6. Remove the end panel, and the second end panel if your tub has one on each end.
7. Set aside the extension panel if your tub has one. Tubs shorter than 60 inches ship with one so they can fill a standard 60 inch alcove.

With the panels off, the frame is exposed all the way around and the tub is ready to be lifted by the frame alone.

How the Panels Fasten on Different Models

Ella attaches the front apron with clips, screws, velcro tape or magnets depending on the model, so look at your own tub before you pull on anything. The article on what an access panel is lists the differences, and these are the ones that matter on moving day:

• Most tubs have two easily removable access panels on the front apron.
• The Standard and Zen platform has two panels held with screws under screw caps, so these panels need a screwdriver and do not simply pull off.
• The Ultra has four magnetic panels.
• The Ultimate and the Zen60 place their two panels on the door side.
• On LayDown tubs the side panels and the front apron are removable as long as nothing is tiled in front of them.

If a panel does not release the way you expect, stop and check how it is fastened before using any force. A ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support with your model and a photo of the panel is the quickest way to confirm the method for your tub.

Keeping the Panels Safe and Putting Them Back

Small parts are the easiest things to lose in a move. Bag and label the panels, drain handles, headrest, grab bar hardware, washers and screws together, and keep the white screw caps in the same bag as their screws. The printable moving checklist has tick boxes for each of these, along with the reminder to keep the door open or ajar in transit so nothing presses on the door seal.

Once the tub is set and connected in its new position, the panels go back in reverse order:

1. If you are using the extension panel, have your installer position it before the tub is set in its final position. The extension panel guide explains which end it can go on.
2. Hold the apron at a slight angle and line up the three top clips with the lip of the tub.
3. Push the top of the apron in and up so the clips seat, then swing the bottom in against the frame.
4. Replace the three screws along the bottom edge and thread the white caps back over them.
5. Press the magnetic access panels back onto the apron so the magnets catch.

When the bathroom is finished around the tub, keep tile, trim and flooring clear of the apron line. The panels should stay removable for the life of the tub, because the pumps, heater, control boxes and plumbing are all reached through them.

Watch: Ella's Bubbles: Understanding Extension and End Panels with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Extension panels and filler kits: fitting your walk-in tub into a 60 inch alcove

Questions fréquentes