Ella's Bubbles Walk In Tub Blog

Support Center / Showers, Panels & Accessories / Why Does My Shower Screen Gasket Have a Gap and Spray Water?

Why Does My Shower Screen Gasket Have a Gap and Spray Water?

When the gasket on the screen has a gap and sprays water, the cause is almost always the height and level of the screen rather than the gasket itself. On the 4 fold screen the bottom gasket must brush the tub deck lightly and evenly along its full length, with the rubber lip angled inward toward the tub: too high leaves a gap that leaks, too low damages the gasket and leaves it looking mangled. The first thing to check is how the screen sits in its wall channel. Gaskets, hinge inserts, glass panels and rails are all replaceable parts.

Likely Causes

  • The screen set too high, so the gasket does not reach the deck, or too low, which damages the rubber insert
  • The gasket fitted facing outward instead of inward toward the tub
  • A wall channel out of level, a wall that is not flat and non porous, or fixings that do not suit the wall type
  • A horizontal seal cut short, or a hinge retainer insert that has come out
  • On the LayDown screen, the fixed panel centered on the tub side instead of aligned with the glass door

What to Check, in Order

  1. Confirm the tub is level and the wall channel is at perfect level on a flat, non porous wall.
  2. Set the screen onto the channel and find the height where the gasket brushes the deck lightly and evenly. The screen can move inside the wall channel for walls that are not square. Add a thin bead of silicone between the channel and the wall.
  3. Check the gasket direction: the rubber lip on the 4 fold points inward toward the tub, and the LayDown screen gasket points inward as well.
  4. If a hinge pin or retainer insert has fallen out, note that the panels are joined by hinge screws with plastic retainer inserts. Refit the insert with the same screw and snap the cap on; a lost insert is a small part the team sends.
  5. On the LayDown screen, align the fixed panel with the tub's glass door, never centered on the side of the tub, and wait 24 hours for the silicone to cure before the first shower. If the LayDown tub door itself is very tight, drain the tub fully and check leveling before opening it; see operating the LayDown glass door.
  6. If a channel seems too wide for the glass or a top guide rail is missing, every rail, roller and seal is numbered in the parts diagram on page 2 of the door's manual; see installing sliding shower doors and the Tidy screen.

The video levels and fixes the wall channel, feeds the gasket into the bottom channel and anchors and caps its ends, then sets the screen on the channel to find the height where the gasket brushes the deck lightly and evenly, shifting the door inside the channel for walls that are out of square.

When to Open a Ticket

If the gasket is torn or cut short, a panel is broken, or the screen will not hold to the wall once it is level and inward, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support with your model and serial number, the part numbers from your door's manual, and clear photos of the damage and of the screen bottom at the deck. Photos are required for any part supplied under warranty. Your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 arrange gaskets, glass and hardware as described in shower screen and glass door replacement parts; the mounting steps are in installing glass shower screens.

Common Questions

Which way does the drip rail on the shower screen go?
The rubber gasket on the 4 fold screen is angled inward, toward the tub, and the LayDown screen gasket also points inward.
Can I buy a new seal if my installer cut the horizontal seal on the 4 fold screen wrong?
Yes. Bottom gaskets, end caps, knobs and screw caps are all available as parts. Open a ticket with a photo of the cut gasket and your model and serial number and the replacement will be arranged.
Can one broken glass panel on my screen be replaced on its own?
Yes. Replacement glass panels are available for every Ella screen and door, and individual panels ship by parcel carrier. The team has never seen a tempered panel crack on its own, so send clear photos to confirm the cause, usually an impact from the handle or a racked frame.

Did this solve it?

If not, open a ticket and our team will pick it up from here.

Open a Support Ticket