If your faucet handle keeps falling off, the fastener that holds it to the cartridge stem has loosened or gone missing, and that is a small stock part rather than a faucet problem. On the Ella 2-piece faucet the lever is held by an Allen bolt hidden under a decorative bolt cover, and on the 5-piece faucet each red or blue handle is held by an Allen bolt under its colored cap. The first thing to check is whether the bolt is still there: pop the cover or cap off and snug the bolt if it is there. If the bolt, the cap, or the hot and cold indicator button is gone, contact your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 with your faucet type and it is matched from stock.

Likely Causes

• The Allen bolt under the handle cover worked loose over time and dropped out.
• The decorative cover or the red and blue indicator cap popped off, and the bolt behind it followed.
• The handle was refitted after a cartridge change without the bolt being tightened, or with the plastic collar left out on a 5-piece set.
• A handle that squeaks or feels rough points to debris or calcification on the cartridge underneath, which is a separate fix covered below.

What to Check, in Order

1. Remove the decorative bolt cover on a 2-piece lever, or the red or blue cap on a 5-piece handle, and look for the Allen bolt in the top of the handle.
2. If the bolt is there, seat the handle back on top of the cartridge stem and tighten the bolt securely with an Allen wrench, without over torquing. Replace the cover or cap.
3. On a 5-piece set, confirm the plastic collar is in place under the handle before you refit it, and that the handle faces the correct position.
4. Check the orientation on a 2-piece lever: the red side should be on the left for hot and the blue on the right for cold.
5. If a handle squeaks or feels rough, follow our faucet cartridge replacement guide. Debris or calcification on the cartridge can often be cleaned with a soft brush and a rinse, which saves the cartridge.
6. If it is the diverter lever on your shower column that keeps falling out, that lever is held by a set screw in its threaded portion, so snug that screw first. If the screw is short or missing, see shower column replacement parts and send a photo of the lever and its screw so the team can confirm the right one.

When to Open a Ticket

Set screws, handle caps, indicator buttons and handles in each finish are small stock parts. Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 with your faucet type (2-piece single lever, 5-piece with red and blue handles, or the thermostatic set), a photo of the handle and the stem it sits on, and your serial number. How to order replacement parts lists the rest of what to include.

The video starts by removing the decorative bolt cover and loosening the Allen bolt so the spout handle lifts off, which is exactly the fastener that has let go when a handle keeps falling off.

Common Questions