How do I remove the access panels before moving an Ella walk-in tub?

Before an Ella walk-in tub is moved or carried, every removable panel comes off: pull the magnetic access panels away from the apron from one corner, take the full front apron off by unscrewing the round white caps and the three screws along its bottom edge and releasing the three top clips, then remove the reversible end panel and, on tubs shorter than 60 inches, the extension panel. Once the panels are off, the tub is lifted and carried only by its stainless steel frame. The Printable Checklist for Moving House With an Ella Walk-In Tub covers the whole move, and this page walks through the panel removal itself.

Which Panels Have to Come Off

An Ella walk-in tub carries more removable trim than most owners realize, and all of it must be removed before the tub is moved into a house and into a bathroom. The same rule applies in reverse when the tub leaves. There are four kinds of panel to account for.

• Access panels. These are the removable panels on the front apron, typically two per tub, that give service access to the pumps, heater, control boxes and plumbing. Owners also call them apron panels, front panels or skirt panels. What Is an Access Panel on a Walk-In Tub? explains what sits behind them.
• The front apron. The apron is the full front skirt that the access panels sit in. Depending on the model it attaches with clips, screws, velcro tape or magnets.
• The reversible end panel. Every Ella tub ships with one end panel that covers the plumbing and the frame at whichever end of the tub is exposed.
• The extension panel. Any Ella tub shorter than 60 inches ships with an extension panel so it can fill a standard 60 inch alcove. It fits at either end.

The attachment method varies by model, so look before you pull. The Standard and Zen platform has two panels held with screws under screw caps. The Ultra has four magnetic panels. The Ultimate and the Zen60 place their two panels on the door side so a 60 inch tub in an alcove can still be serviced from the front. On LayDown tubs the side panels and the front apron are removable as long as nothing has been tiled in front of them.

Before You Touch a Panel, and How the Apron Comes Off

Photograph the serial label first. It sits behind the magnetic access panel next to the door, on the inside of that panel, and you will need the number for parts and support at the new address. Then drain the tub completely and dry it, have a licensed electrician disconnect the equipment from its dedicated GFCI circuit, and have a licensed plumber disconnect the supply lines and the drain. Ella does not send technicians, so the disconnection and the reinstallation are local trade work. Remove any loose accessories from inside the tub so nothing shifts during the carry.

On a magnetic access panel, no tools are needed. Pull gently away from the frame from one corner and the magnets release. On a Standard or Zen, pop the screw caps and back the screws out with a screwdriver. The magnetic panels alone are enough for most service jobs, but a move calls for the full apron, and How to Remove and Reattach the Front Apron on Your Walk-In Tub gives the detail. The short version:

1. With the access panels off, look along the bottom edge of the apron for three round white screw caps. Unscrew each cap by hand.
2. Remove the three screws underneath with a screwdriver. These are the only fasteners holding the apron to the frame.
3. Put on gloves. The inside edges of the plastic apron can be very sharp.
4. Grip the apron near the bottom and pull it down and away from the lip of the tub. The three clips along the top release as the apron drops.
5. Lift the apron clear and lean it somewhere safe so the edges do not get scratched.

The End Panel and the Extension Panel

Both come off too. The end panel covers the plumbing and frame at the open end of the tub, and the extension panel fills the gap between the tub's actual length and a 60 inch opening. Neither is an access point, because the pumps, heater and plumbing are always reached through the tub's own access panels, but both are finished trim that would be damaged or dislodged in a carry. The video on this page shows each panel type and ends with the rule that every removable panel, including the front apron with its access panels, the end panel and the extension panel, must be removed before the tub is moved into the house and into the bathroom.

At the new house the panels go back wherever the room needs them. The end panel is reversible and installs on either side, and the extension panel installs at the head end or the foot end, wherever the gap falls, because the door, faucet and drain positions do not change. If the new alcove is a different size, The Extension Panel: What Ships With Your Tub, Where It Installs, and When to Set It Aside explains when the panel is used, when it is simply set aside, and how a second panel lets an installer center the tub.

Packing the Panels and Carrying the Tub

• Bag and label the panels, screw caps, screws, drain handles, headrest and grab bar hardware together so nothing is hunted for on reinstall day.
• Lift and carry only by the frame, never by the plumbing, faucet, door or any other part.
• Protect the underside. Air jets on the bottom of the shell can break off if the tub is set down hard or dragged.
• Keep the door open or ajar in transit and let nothing press on the door seal, since a seal that stays compressed can deform.
• Keep the manual and spec sheet with the hardware, or download fresh copies from the Downloads tab of the model's product page.

Putting the Panels Back at the New Address

Reattaching is the reverse of removal. Hold the apron at a slight angle, line up the three top clips with the lip of the tub, push the top in and up so the clips seat, then swing the bottom in against the frame. Replace the three screws along the bottom edge, thread the white caps back over them, and press the magnetic access panels back on so the magnets catch. Fit the end panel and extension panel after the tub is leveled and connected, and keep every panel removable for the life of the tub: never tile in front of the apron line, and never pack insulation around the equipment, because overheating damage from insulation counts as misuse.

One thing does change with a move. The Lifetime Limited Warranty belongs to the first purchaser at the original installation address and ends when the tub is relocated, while free lifetime technical support and access to replacement parts matched to your serial number continue at the new home. Can I Move My Ella Walk-In Tub to a New House and Reinstall It? lays out that trade-off, and your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 are happy to talk it through before the move.

Watch: Ella's Bubbles: Understanding Extension and End Panels with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• What Is an Extension Panel (Filler Kit) on a Walk-In Tub?
• End Panels, Extension Panels, and Aprons: Getting the Right Replacement Panel
• Extension panels and filler kits: fitting your walk-in tub into a 60 inch alcove

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