How Do You Use a Walk-In Bathtub Step by Step?

You use a walk-in bathtub in a set order: open the door, step over the low threshold, sit on the built-in seat, close the door, and only then fill the tub. When the bath is over, open the drain, wait for the water to leave, then open the door and step out. The sequence exists because the door is part of the tub wall and has to stay closed while there is water inside, which is the key point behind the fill-and-drain difference explained in Walk-In Tub Versus a Regular Bathtub.

Step 1: Get Ready Before You Step in

Because you sit inside the tub while it fills and again while it drains, plan the bath so you are settled on the seat before the water starts. Nearly every Ella model has a built-in grab bar as standard equipment, positioned for entering, exiting and standing up from the seat. If extra wall bars have been added around the tub, Ella's guidance places horizontal bars 33 to 36 inches above the tub floor and a vertical bar near the door, at the spot where you step in and out. Suction-cup grab bars are not recommended; a bar you lean on must be fastened into studs or solid in-wall backing confirmed by a licensed contractor. Where the added bars belong and how they are anchored is covered in Where and how should grab bars be installed around a walk-in tub?.

Step 2: Step over the Threshold and Sit Down

Open the door and step in over the low threshold rather than lifting a leg over a high tub wall, which is where many bathroom falls happen. On models like the Capri the step-in is roughly 3 1/2 to 4 inches. Inside, the floor is textured and non-slip, and the molded seat sits at chair height, so you lower yourself onto it the way you would sit in a chair. Ella seats are sized by model, from 19 inches on the Petite to 29 inches on the TransferXXL. Use the built-in grab bar as you turn and settle onto the seat.

Step 3: Close the Door, Then Fill the Tub

Close the door before turning on the water. The door must stay closed for as long as there is water in the tub, so filling always happens with you seated inside. Ella pairs its seated tubs with a fast-fill faucet, rated 16 GPM on the 2-piece set and 18 GPM on the 5-piece set at ideal home plumbing, so the wait is short. The glossy acrylic shell acts like an insulator, and optional heated seats add warmth during the fill on models that offer them. The published video on staying warm covers exactly this: how the fast-fill faucets shorten the wait, how the optional heated seat is used, and how the dual oversized drains empty the tub quickly.

• Sit down and close the door first.
• Turn on the faucet and let the tub fill around you.
• If your tub has a heated seat, use it during the fill for added comfort.

For anyone comparing depth, the LayDown models have a soaking depth of 15 inches, compared to about 11 inches in a standard bathtub. That figure describes how deep the water can be, not how tall the tub is, as Do they make a bathtub that is only 15 inches high? explains.

Step 4: Open the Drain and Wait for the Tub to Empty

When you are finished, open the drain while you are still seated with the door closed. Most Ella models use gravity-driven dual 2 inch drains, and the LayDown tubs use a single oversized 2 inch brass drain. Stay seated until the water has left the tub; the door is only opened once the tub is empty. This is the most common question new owners ask, and the fast-fill faucet, the insulating shell and the dual drains are Ella's answer to it.

Step 5: Open the Door and Step Out

With the tub drained, open the door, stand using the built-in grab bar, and step back over the threshold. A vertical wall bar near the door gives you a second hold at the exact point where you step in and out, which is why Ella's guidance places one there.

What the Sequence Means for Your Bathroom

A walk-in tub usually goes into the same three-wall opening a standard 60 inch bathtub occupied, with only the front apron exposed. That placement limits service access, because the plumbing end of the tub is against a wall, so ask your installer to add a wall access panel behind the plumbing end and never pack the space around the tub with insulation. The layout is described in What Is an Alcove Installation for a Walk-In Tub?. Any grab bar you add belongs on the wall, anchored into framing; do not drill into the tub shell or deck, because the factory drills the holes for the included bar before the tub ships and any alteration not done by Ella is excluded from warranty coverage.

Related Guides

• How fast will my walk-in tub fill? Fast-fill faucet expectations and operation
• How the optional heated seat and backrest works, and why it turns off after 20 minutes
• How Fast Does a Walk-In Tub Drain? Dual Drain Technology Explained

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