Do all shower heads fit any hand shower hose on a walk-in tub?

No. On an Ella walk-in tub the hand shower head and its hose are matched to the faucet set that came with the tub, so a generic shower head or a hose from a different faucet style is not a safe swap. The head threads onto the end of the hose by hand, which makes replacing just the head or just the hose easy, but the replacement has to be the part matched to your faucet, as explained in Why Does My Hand Shower Head Spray Out the Side and Can I Replace Just the Head?.

Why the Parts Are Matched to the Faucet, Not Universal

Hoses and sprayer heads vary by faucet set and by the age of the tub. The clearest example is the hose: the 5-piece fast-fill hose does not fit the 2-piece faucet, because the ends differ between faucet styles. Some owners of the single lever fast-fill faucet also report a quick connect fitting at the faucet end rather than a threaded one, so two tubs that look similar from the deck can still take different hoses. The handsets differ as well. On the Ella fast-fill faucets the handset threads onto the end of the 5 foot hose and offers five spray settings, while the waterfall fast-fill faucet ships with its own extendable multi-function hand shower that has four settings and rests on a shower column. The video on this page shows that waterfall hand shower on its column, which is a clear picture of how one Ella faucet package differs from another.

This is why the team asks you not to buy a generic head. Hoses and handsets are matched to your faucet set, and the team does not want to send the wrong part any more than it wants you to buy one. If you no longer know which faucet you have, the team can look up your original order and identify the right handheld and hose from it.

The Three Joints on a Hand Shower and What Goes Where

• Head to hose. The sprayer head unscrews from the hose by hand with no tools. Inside the threads of the head sit a washer and a small blue backflow check valve. A missing washer or check valve is a common reason the joint drips or sprays out the side, and if either is missing the head itself is what needs replacing.
• Hose ends. The conical connector belongs on the handset and the hex nut end goes to the deck mount. A head fitted to the wrong end of the hose is one of the listed causes of a sideways spray, so orientation matters as much as the fitting itself.
• Hose to deck. The hose unscrews at its base fitting. If the base is not reachable from above, the hose can be changed from the access panel. If the old hose end will not pass back through the deck fitting, or the openings look too small for the new ends, do not force it. Photograph the deck fitting so the team can send the hose with the deck fitting pre-installed.

Replacement hoses ship with new washers. Fit the new hose hand tight with those washers, conical connector to the handset and hex nut to the deck mount, then try each spray setting. If one setting hisses or squeals, take a short video so the team can tell whether the head or the hose joint is the cause.

A Sprayer Head That Broke After a Couple of Years: What the Warranty Does

A sprayer head can break off at the plastic threads where it connects to the hose, sometimes while it is simply being wiped down, and often after a drop or a move. A crack above the threading cannot be repaired, so photograph it for your request. Then check whether the broken threads can be worked out of the hose end. If they come out, only a new sprayer head is needed. If they are stuck in the hose, you need a new hose as well.

The published warranty covers parts for the original owner at the original installation address, and the faucet is among the covered equipment. Once the team verifies the failure from your photos, the replacement head or hose is tested, then ships free of charge by UPS to the address on your warranty form. Labor is never covered, and Ella does not send technicians, but this is a hand tight job with no special tools, so most owners do it themselves. If the warranty activation form was never submitted, the team may ask you to complete it at ellasbubbles.com/warranty-activation/ as part of the request. The failure is documented for the warranty, which is why the team asks whether the tub is newly purchased or already installed and whether you are the original owner. Coverage on any specific claim is confirmed by the team after verification, not decided from a description over the phone.

How to Get the Matched Part

1. Find your serial number on the label behind the magnetic access panel next to the door. It tells the team when your tub was made and which parts are compatible.
2. Photograph the faucet set, the damaged head or hose end, and the deck fitting. Note whether the hose end is threaded or quick connect.
3. Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 with your tub model, the serial number or invoice number, where the tub was purchased, a short description of what happened, and a street address for UPS. A PO box cannot be used.
4. If you bought the tub years ago and no longer know the faucet name, say so. The team can look up your original order to match the right handheld.

The full list of what a parts request should include is in How to order replacement parts for your Ella walk-in tub. You can also order through your Ella dealer or where you purchased.

Parts That Are Easy to Confuse with the Shower Hose

• The air button hose. The small hose running from a button on the deck to the pump is not the shower hose. If it is split, the button stops working, and the team sends an air button hose for it.
• The wall-mount extension. A hand shower that was wall mounted without the barrel extension drips through the deck insert hole behind the tub. The fix is the leak elimination kit, a 5 foot extension hose with a stainless barrel connector that plugs the deck hole. Water below or behind the tub near the hand shower is covered in Hand Shower Hose and Sprayer Head Replacement, and Water Behind the Tub Near the Hand Shower.
• Two-seat tubs. Two-seat tubs ordered with two faucets get two hand showers and can take two rain shower columns, so include a photo that shows which faucet the damaged part belongs to. The other accessory questions are answered in Common Questions About Showering Add-Ons and Accessories.

If the leak is a split in the braided hose rather than a broken head, the hose is replaced on its own and the wand and deck base stay where they are, as explained in How Do I Replace a Cracked, Leaking Hand Shower Hose?.

Watch: The Luxurious Walk-In Tub Upgrade You Need - Waterfall Faucet |Ella's Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Will a Hardware Store Hand Shower Hose or Head Fit an Ella Faucet?
• Which Handheld Shower Head Is Best for an Ella Walk-In Tub?
• Buying a Fast-Fill Faucet Set or Valve Body on Its Own: Specs, Finishes and Deck Hole Size

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