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Why Doesn't the Overflow on My Tub Drain?

Updated September 2026

▶Glossary5
  1. Likely Causes
  2. What to Check, in Order
  3. When to Open a Ticket
  4. Related Guides
  5. Common Questions

When the overflow does not drain on an Ella walk-in tub, the usual explanation is that the tub has been filled higher than it was designed for, or that the house drain flows slowly. On dual drain Ella tubs the overflow protection is built into the drain dials: the easy turn handle that opens each floor drain also functions as overflow protection and an air vent, and the water runs into the drain body under the tub. On the Standard, the single 2 inch gravity floor drain carries the overflow and an emergency pull up chain. The first thing to check is your fill level. Do not fill above the center of the drain handle, and confirm the house drain moves water freely.

Likely Causes

  • The tub was filled above the center of the drain handle.
  • A slow house drain. The overflow empties through the same drain body as the floor drain, so a sluggish house line backs both up.
  • An overflow cap or chain that has been pulled out of position or draped into the tub. The chain is an emergency pull, not a daily control.

What to Check, in Order

  1. Fill only to the center of the drain handle. Above that line you are past the design level.
  2. Open the floor drain fully, clockwise to open. If the tub empties normally through the floor drain, the drain body and house line are fine and this is a fill level question.
  3. Time a full drain. An average size tub empties in about 80 seconds under ideal conditions. If it takes much longer, have a plumber check the house drain, because a dual drain cannot fix a slow house drain. See how fast a walk-in tub drains.
  4. Look at the chain and cap. If the chain drapes into the tub or feels too short, it may have been pulled out of position. Caps and chains are replaceable parts; photograph them.
  5. Check the run under the tub for extra elbows, since a Y drains better than a T. Plumbing and drain configurations lists the overflow arrangement by model.
  6. If your tub is a Standard, it has one drain, not two. The four port T type wording on the spec sheet describes the drain body under the tub. The Standard and Standard60 profile covers what ships on that model.
Walk-In Tubs with Dual Drain Technology - Easy & Fast Drainage | Ella's Bubbles
Chapters in this video
  1. 0:00 Dual Drain System Overview The video introduces the independently operated two-inch drains with large dial openers and adjustable floor drain covers.
  2. 0:23 How Dual Drain Technology Works Ella's dual drain technology uses gravity-driven T-type 4-port dual 2-inch drains with overflow protection and a vent system.
  3. 0:47 Drainage Speed And Factors Field tests show drainage completes in 52 seconds, but actual drainage time depends on home drain conditions and piping.
  4. 1:36 Contact Ella's Bubbles Customers can call Ella's Bubbles or visit the website for more information.

The video shows the large dial openers, explains that the dials function as overflow protection while the dual drain also works as a vent for fast air pocket relief, and notes that the floor drain covers are height adjustable so they seal and drain cleanly. Plug height is covered in drain plugs, stems, gaskets and hair catchers. Watch: Walk-In Tubs with Dual Drain Technology - Easy & Fast Drainage with chapters and a full transcript.

When to Open a Ticket

If the floor drain empties quickly but water still climbs past the handle, or the chain and cap look damaged, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support with a photo of the drain handle area from inside the tub, a photo of the drain body under the tub if you can reach it, your serial number, and how long a full drain takes. Your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 confirms the overflow design for your model and sends caps or chains as needed.

Common Questions

Does the tub have an overflow that drains without opening the main drains?
On dual drain models the drain dials function as overflow protection and vent through the drain body, so water that reaches them leaves through the same path the floor drain uses. On the Standard the overflow is built into the single gravity drain.
Does the Standard have dual drains?
No. The Standard ships with one 2 inch gravity floor drain with overflow and an emergency pull up chain. The T type four port description refers to the drain body under the tub, which lets the installer connect from either direction with caps on the unused ports.
Why is the overflow chain too short and draping into the tub?
The overflow chain on your Ella walk-in tub may appear too short or drape into the tub because it is an emergency pull for the plug and may have been pulled out of its resting position. This chain is not intended for daily control. Please photograph the chain and cap for the Ella's Bubbles support team, as both are replaceable parts.
Do I need a copper pipe from the overflow to the drain?
That copper overflow belongs to the LayDown, which uses a single threaded brass drain with a copper overflow and a cable operated opener. Other Ella models route the overflow through the drain dials and drain body, so no separate pipe is needed.

About this guide. Answers in the Ella’s Bubbles Support Center are compiled from real conversations with tub owners, our technicians’ notes and the product documentation, then reviewed by our team. Tub models and options have evolved over the years, so a detail here may differ slightly from your exact tub. If something looks different on yours, send us your serial number and a specialist will confirm it for your model.

Related guides

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