When a walk-in tub door leaks at the bottom, the cause is almost always the tub sitting slightly out of level rather than a bad door. The first thing to check is the leveling legs: every leg must touch the floor with no gap. A tub that is bowed even a little pulls the door frame out of shape, so the seal cannot close watertight and water escapes along the bottom edge, at the side of the door, or at the door frame. Floors settle and legs work loose, so this applies after install and after years of use. Most door leaks are corrected at home without parts, and the door and seal are covered for defects under the Lifetime Limited Warranty.

Likely Causes

• A leveling leg not bearing weight, so the shell bows and the door frame shifts.
• The door seal sitting off center in its channel, or debris on the seal or frame.
• The handle no longer pulling the door tight, which is a latch or lock nut adjustment rather than a seal problem.
• A seal that has been damaged or leaned on during bathing.
• A seal that still leaks after reseating, which is replaced.

What to Check, in Order

1. Drain the tub and remove the front apron. Level the deck in both directions and confirm every leveling leg sits solidly on the floor. Adjust any leg that floats until the door closes smoothly. Our leveling guide covers the full procedure.
2. Look at the seal all the way around the door. If it is off center, press it back into its channel evenly and wipe the seal and frame clean. A reseated seal usually retests dry. The door leak checklist shows what a properly seated seal looks like.
3. If the handle no longer pulls the door firmly against the seal, the tension is set at the lock nut behind the apron. Follow the handle lock nut adjustment steps before touching the seal again.
4. Refill the tub and watch the bottom edge and both sides. Never lean on the door while bathing, since the bather's weight changes the door alignment.
5. If the door still leaks after leveling and reseating, do not run silicone or caulk over the seal. A seal that leaks after reseating is replaced with a model specific part, as described in door seal care and replacement.

In the video, every leveling foot is checked for solid contact with the floor, because if any leg floats the door will not seal and may leak, and each leg is adjusted and the level re-checked on all sides for proper door alignment and closure.

When to Open a Ticket

If the leak continues after you have leveled the tub and reseated the seal, contact your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850, or open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support. Include your model and serial number, a photo of the seal around the full door opening, a photo of the level on the deck, and a short video of where the water appears as the tub fills.

Common Questions