Drain Plugs, Plug Stems, Drain Gaskets and Hair Catchers: Adjusting, Replacing and Keeping Them Out of the Drain

The drain plugs on an Ella walk-in tub sit on adjustable stems, which is what lets you set the plug height for a clean seal and the fastest drain, and it is also why a stem can drop down the drain if it is loosened too far or the lock nut is not tightened. Drain plugs, plug stems and gaskets are all supplied by Ella's Bubbles, matched from a photo and your serial number, and a simple third-party hair catcher fits over the drains. This article covers adjustment, retrieving a dropped stem, replacement, hair catchers and the finish question. Replacing the drain cable and diagnosing a slow drain are covered separately.

Adjusting the Drain Height

The video makes two points. Ella tubs have adjustable-height drains: if the plug sits too high or too low, turn the stem to loosen or tighten it until the plug seats and lifts cleanly. And it is critically important not to loosen the stem too much, because past a certain point the stem unthreads completely, falls off and goes down the drain. In practice: Watch: Ella's Bubbles: Adjustable Drain Height with a full transcript.

1. Turn the stem a little at a time and test the drain handle after each adjustment.
2. Stop as soon as the plug seals when closed and lifts fully when open.
3. Tighten the lock nut on the stem firmly. Cases where the stem later fell down the drain have traced to a lock nut that was not tightened after the height was adjusted.

A plug that will not seal fully is the most common reason a tub slowly loses water; the other causes are in tub drains slowly, will not drain, or loses water.

The Stem Fell Down the Drain

If the stem has dropped, it can usually be pulled back out of the drain. Remove the plug and reach in; if you cannot get your fingers around it, a thin flat-head screwdriver or a dull butter knife will hook it. With the plug out you can also see the lever inside the drain moving when the handle is turned, which confirms the cable is fine.

On warranty: the drain plug stem screws into the plug cap. A stem that unthreaded and fell is considered wear and tear rather than a manufacturing defect, so it is not a warranty item; a replacement stem is supplied through the team. A stem that broke off, rather than unthreaded, is reviewed under the parts warranty, and the team needs a photo of the damaged part showing where it failed. More examples of how these calls are made are in defect or wear and tear?

Did My Tub Ship with Drain Plugs?

Yes. Drain plugs are packed in the parts box that ships with the tub, along with the other loose items, and the packaging photos taken before shipment show them in that box. Small items such as drain handles and hardware are packed inside the tub or in the envelope on top of the wrapping, so check there before assuming they were missed; the delivery inspection checklist shows where to look. If they are truly gone, the team can supply replacements.

A Gasket Came Off the Plug

If the rubber gasket has come off a plug and gone down the drain, photograph the gasket on the other drain plug so the team can try to match it. When a match cannot be confirmed, the safe answer is a complete drain plug, which guarantees the gasket fits and seals.

Single-Drain Models: The Plug with the Chain

The Standard, Standard60, Zen, Zen60 and Flow use one oversized 2 inch gravity drain with a chain-operated removable plug and an emergency pull-up chain, and the Front Entry and Mobile also use a drain plug with an emergency pull-up chain. These plugs are supplied as parts too: ask for a 2 inch floor drain plug with chain and include your serial number, and the team sends the matching one. Older Standard tubs with a single drain can be supplied with just the plug or with the entire drain assembly.

Hair Catchers

Ella's Bubbles does not make a hair catcher and none is built into the drain. The team's recommendation is the OXO silicone pop-up drain protector, which fits over the Ella drains and can be lifted off to clean. A periodic check of the pump inlet cover for hair and debris is still part of routine maintenance on a jetted tub; the routine is in common maintenance questions.

Finish Options

Drains and overflows are available in chrome only. The team does not recommend removing the factory drain assembly to fit one in another finish: the holes are already drilled to the Ella assembly, and removing it creates leak risks and voids the warranty on those parts. Faucet handles are the one item offered in other finishes; see tub colors and hardware finishes.

How the Plug, Stem and Cable Work Together

Watch: Drain Cable Replacement with chapters and a full transcript.

The video is about replacing the drain cable, which has its own article, my drain will not open or close, but its close-ups are the clearest view of how the plug is driven. Dual-drain Ella tubs have two four-port T-type drains opened and closed by stainless steel cables in a black protective sleeve. Behind a small service panel on the drain's connection box, the cable ends in a barrel that seats in an armature; turning the deck handle moves the cable, the armature rocks, and the armature lifts or lowers the drain stem, which carries the plug. There must be a positive connection between the stem and the armature, and the flat side of the cable connection faces up. The video closes on the same adjustment described above: turn the drain stem to set the height and secure it with the lock nut. It also explains the warning stickers on every tub: stepping on an open drain puts tremendous stress on the cable and can break it.

Related Guides

• Replacing Drain Elbows, Nuts, Gaskets, Drain Covers and Plunger Parts on a Walk-In Tub
• Overflow Fitting Drips Heavily When the Tub Drains: What to Check
• Is It Normal to See Water Sitting Just Below the Drain Plug After Draining?
• Drain Plug Will Not Open or Drains Slowly: Checking the Set Screw and the Stem

Common Questions

For anything specific to your model, serial number or faucet set, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and the Ella's Bubbles team will confirm the exact part.