Door Still Leaks at the Hinge After Resetting the Hinges: Remove the Door and Reseal Behind the Bottom Hinge

If your door keeps leaking from the hinge area even after you have reset the hinges, the water is getting in behind the hinge and through its bolts rather than past the door seal. The fix from Ella's technical support is to slide the door off, remove the laminate plate at the bottom hinge, reseal behind the hinge and around the bolts, and seal the heads of the bolts with silicone where they attach to the hinge. Realigning the hinges alone does not close the path along the bolts.

Why Resetting the Hinges Did Not Help

Hinge alignment controls how the door meets the seal. A hinge-area leak that persists after the hinges have been reset is coming from the mounting itself. Water sits against the plate behind the bottom hinge and works through the bolt holes and along the bolts. Sealing the outside of the hinge does not reach that path, so the plate has to come off so the sealant goes where the water is entering.

Steps to Reseal the Bottom Hinge

1. Drain the tub and dry the door and hinge area completely.
2. Slide the door off its hinges. The door video library collects the door videos, and the team can send the removal video for your model.
3. Remove the whole laminate plate behind the bottom hinge along with the hinge bolts.
4. Clean off all old sealant from the plate, the tub surface and the bolt holes, and let the surfaces dry.
5. Apply silicone behind the plate and around every bolt hole, then reinstall the plate and hinge.
6. Seal the head of each bolt with silicone where it attaches to the hinge so that water cannot penetrate through the bolt.
7. Let the silicone cure for the full time stated by the sealant manufacturer.
8. Rehang the door, confirm the alignment and latching, then fill above the hinge height and check for moisture on the outside.

Ella does not send technicians. A local licensed plumber can do this work, and Ella's technical support can answer that person's questions by phone, email or video.

When the Door Itself Is the Problem

A reseal cures a leak at a sound hinge mounting. If the door is cracked near the hinges or latches, sealant is only a stopgap, and the guide to cracks near the hinges and latches explains when a replacement door is the answer. Ordering a complete replacement door covers what comes with one. For the outward-swing family, how the outward-swing door operates helps you confirm the door is seating correctly after it goes back on.

Related Guides

• Door seal or gasket looks worn, loose, or leaks: care, repair, and replacement
• Bent or Loose Door Hinge: Diagnosis, Tightening, and Replacement
• Caring for your walk-in tub door seal so it stays watertight for years

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.