Yes, a cracked door can be replaced, and support will arrange a replacement door once they have seen photos of the damage and of the front of the tub. Small cracks that spread along the door near the hinges and the latch points often trace back to weight on the door, usually someone leaning on it or pushing on it to stand up, rather than to a defect in the door. Send photos first. The first thing support will ask is when you noticed the cracks and whether they are letting water through, and the second is which door your tub takes.

What Causes Cracks Near the Hinges and Latches

The hinge and latch points carry the load whenever weight is put on the door. Leaning on it, sitting on its edge, or bearing down on the handle to rise out of the seat flexes the door around those points, and cracks tend to show up there first. Never lean on the door. The same rule keeps the seal watertight, as explained in Water at the Door.

Send Photos Before Anything Else

1. Photograph the cracks close up.
2. Photograph the whole front of the tub so the hinges and the door frame are visible. Support uses this view to identify which door your tub takes.
3. Note when you first noticed the cracks and whether the door is leaking now.
4. Include your model and serial number from the label behind the magnetic access panel next to the door.

Cosmetic Cracks That Are Not Leaking

If the door is still holding water and the cracks are only cosmetic, you may not need a new door yet. A gloss white appliance epoxy touch-up paint from a hardware store covers hairline cracks on a white door. Keep an eye on them and stop any leaning on the door so they do not spread.

When a Replacement Door Is the Answer

If the cracks are letting water through, a replacement door is the fix. Stainless-steel inward-swing doors are custom fitted to the tub, and matching a new one in the field can be difficult and can lead to new leaks, so support recommends a new door only after every other fix has been ruled out. Two things to know before it ships:

• The color of the new door may not be a perfect match to a tub that has been in service for years.
• Older door styles are not always on the shelf. Support checks the warehouse and, if needed, the supplier, and lets you know what they find.

Doors are large and heavy, so depending on the door it may travel as freight rather than by parcel carrier. Once it is on the way, here is how tracking works. Chicago-area customers can ask about picking up in Chicago.

Swapping the Door

The door is easier to change than it looks. Open it about halfway and it lifts straight off the hinges. The door weighs about 20 pounds. A door that has sat for years can be a little sticky, so work it gently, and a little penetrating oil on the hinge pins helps. Set the new door on the hinges the same way, then:

1. Fill the tub and watch the door for leaks.
2. If the seal is not tight all the way around, adjust the hinges. Support can send the hinge adjustment video, and the latch and handle guide covers alignment.
3. If the door touches the frame as it closes, the tub is out of level. Adjust the leveling legs before blaming the door.

If the handle is also damaged, see what to do when the handle broke off. It is a separate part from the door.

Is a Cracked Door Covered by the Warranty?

The Lifetime Limited Warranty covers manufacturing defects in the door. Damage from leaning, impact or misuse is not a manufacturing defect, and support makes that determination from your photos. If the door is not covered, a replacement can be purchased through your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850. Either way the door ships as a part, and a local installer fits it. Ella does not send technicians.

Common Questions

Still Need Help?

Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and have your model and serial number ready.