How do you replace the door seal on a legacy Ella S-Class tub?

On a legacy Ella S-Class tub, the door seal is a silicone gasket seated in a channel that runs around the door, and a loose or damaged seal is replaced by applying a thin bead of silicone to that channel and seating the gasket back into it. The S-Class has the S-shaped door with a chrome stainless steel latch, and the stainless inward-swing door documents are its closest current match, so the extra step for inward-swing doors applies: add a bead of silicone at the corner where the gasket meets the frame. Because the S-Class is a legacy line, covered in S-Class 3052, 3060 and 3655: Understanding Ella's Legacy Series, confirm the right gasket for your serial number at ellasbubbles.com/support or (800) 480-6850 before you order or start.

Know Which S-Class You Have

The S-Class was sold in three sizes: the 3052 at 30 by 52 inches, the 3060 at 30 by 60 inches, and the 3655 at 36 by 55 inches for extra tall and large bathers. The 3052 and 3060 have a 21 inch seat, and the 3655 has a 29.5 inch seat and dual 2 inch drains. All three share the acrylic surface, the rust-proof stainless frame with leveling legs, easy-access service panels, wall and deck grab bars, a built-in towel rack and the chrome stainless door latch. An older Ella video also presents a 2853 S-Class with the same S-shaped door, stainless steel chrome door lock and low threshold entry. The series came in two threshold versions as well: a 6 inch standard threshold with a raised frame and floor jets, and a 3 inch low threshold with a lowered frame and drains that need subfloor access. Tell the team which model and which threshold you have, because that is how parts are matched. The serial label sits on the inside of the removable panel next to the door; photograph it first, since the serial tells the team when the tub was built and which parts are compatible.

Rule Out Leveling and the Latch Before Replacing the Seal

A door that has become hard to close or that no longer seals evenly is not always a gasket problem. Every leveling leg must sit solidly on the floor or the door will not align, and the published guidance for an older tub with a door that is hard to close is to have the leveling legs checked before asking for a door. Do the same before replacing a seal. The latch matters too: the chrome stainless steel door latch is what assures the tight, leak-proof seal, so make sure it is closing fully. If the legs are solid and the latch closes but the gasket is loose, torn or no longer sitting in its channel, the seal is the part to replace. The video tour of the Ultra, Standard, Flow and S-Class is the clearest published look at the S-Class door and latch if you want to compare yours with the original.

Replacing the Seal, Step by Step

Ella's door seal video covers both inward and outward swing doors, and the S-Class follows the inward-door steps.

1. Confirm the gasket. Send the serial label photo and photos of the door, hinges and the existing seal so the team can match the right gasket to your tub, and wait for the part before removing the old seal.
2. Apply a thin bead of silicone to the gasket channel that runs around the door.
3. Seat the silicone gasket back into the channel all the way around.
4. Add a bead of silicone at the corner of the gasket where it meets the frame. This step is specific to inward-swing doors.
5. Close the door and turn the chrome stainless latch fully, since the latch is what assures the tight, leak-proof seal.

If you would rather not do this yourself, a local licensed plumber can do the work. Ella does not send technicians; the part ships to you and the labor is done locally, with free technical support by phone, email or video for whoever is holding the tools.

Getting the Right Gasket for a Legacy Tub

In most cases parts are still available for an older Ella tub, and technical support continues for the life of the tub. Legacy requests go through the team case by case, and for a tub 6 or more years old some parts may no longer be stocked, in which case the team confirms a current equivalent or a substitute. Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support, or call (800) 480-6850, with the serial label photo, the model if you know it, the threshold height, photos of the seal, the door and the hinges, where the tub was purchased, and a street address for UPS. If the inspection shows the door itself is the problem rather than the seal, a replacement door for an older style is ordered from the door supplier and may not be a perfect color match, which is one more reason to check leveling and the latch first. Are Parts Still Available for My Older Ella Tub? walks through the same process for drains, faucets and jets.

The Door Seal Under the Warranty

The door seal has carried a limited lifetime term in every published edition of the Ella warranty. The May 2013 acrylic walk-in bath warranty listed the shell, frame, door seal and finish as limited lifetime, and the current text, the 2019 edition on the live warranty page, lists the shell, frame, door, door seal and finish as Lifetime Limited along with all supporting equipment. That is a parts warranty: the gasket ships under it after the team verifies the claim, and the labor to fit it is not covered. The revisions timeline explains which warranty text governs a given purchase, and the team confirms the governing edition from your order date and serial number.

Related Guides

• Which Replacement Parts Fit a Legacy Ella S-Class 3052 or 3060 Tub?
• Can I Still Order a Replacement Door Latch or Older Handle?
• Bent or Loose Door Hinge: Diagnosis, Tightening, and Replacement

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