Do Walk-In Tubs Come With Massage Jets, Hydrotherapy and Air Baths?

Yes. Ella walk-in tubs are offered with two different massage systems: hydro massage, which is the hydrotherapy most people picture, with water jets fed by a pump, and air massage, the bubble system behind the search terms air bath, air tub and air jet tub. The jets are part of the therapy package chosen when the tub is ordered rather than an accessory added afterwards, and Air Massage, Hydro Massage and Heated Seat Options Explained introduces the options. This page explains what each system does, which Ella tubs carry it, and what owning a jetted walk-in tub involves from one bath to the next.

What an Air Bath Is

An air bath, air tub or air jet tub is a bathtub with a blower that pushes air through small jets in the seat and floor so bubbles rise around you. In an Ella tub, air massage jets are small brass jets set into the seat, the base of the seat and the footwell floor, fed by a three-speed blower. The blower pushes air through lines under the tub and out through three groups of jets: upper jets in the seat and backrest, bidet jets at the base of the seat, and lower jets in the footwell floor. The result is a gentle, effervescent full-body bubble massage, and because the jets kick out pressure by moving water, you feel a soothing massage along with the bubbles rather than a fizzy surface alone.

The Air push button on the deck steps the blower through its speeds. Press once for high, twice for medium, three times for low, and a fourth time to turn the system off. The first press is always high, so if the speeds ever feel out of order, count presses from off. About 20 minutes after you turn the air pump off, Auto Purge starts on its own and blows the lines dry for 120 seconds so no water lingers in them. It cannot be stopped and it is completely normal, even if it begins while you are still in the room. The typical air pump on the spec sheets is a 4.5A 500W three-speed blower, and the Elite uses a 6.4A blower. The first video on this page shows where Ella places the jets, including hip, feet and bidet positions, and explains the Auto Purge that follows each bath.

What Hydrotherapy Jets Do

Hydro massage jets, also called hydrotherapy jets, water jets or whirlpool jets, are the water jets fed by a pump that recirculates your bath water. When you press the Water button, the pump draws bath water in through the inlet cover and pushes it out through jets aimed at the back, hips, legs and feet, which gives a deeper, more targeted massage than the air system. One press starts the hydro and one press stops it. The strength is set by the intensity dial on the deck, which is an air control on a small hose rather than an electrical part; turning it adds or removes air in the water stream to make the massage firmer or softer. Many hydro jets can be aimed, and the foot jet nozzles can be opened, reduced or closed by turning the center of the jet.

Two helpers run automatically with the hydro pump. The in-line water heater holds the water at the temperature you filled it, and the ozone generator sterilizes the water as it circulates. The heater has no button and no thermostat of its own, and it maintains rather than raises the temperature, so a hot fill from your home water heater is still the starting point. Jet counts belong to the package, not the model name: the Standard ships with 18 hydro jets on an 8.1A 900W pump, the Elite hydro package has 16 jets, 10 in the seat and 6 in the foot area, and the Transfer family's Hydro Massage package lists 22 jets, 16 seat and 6 foot. Tubs with independent foot massage add a second pump and dial for the foot and calf jets. The second video on this page shows why that matters: Ella fits a separate pump and motor for each system instead of a plastic diverter that steals flow from the back jets to feed the feet, so every system can run at the same time at full pressure.

The Systems Side by Side

What the differences mean in practice is that hydro massage is the therapy for sore muscles, because the water jets work on specific areas and the heater keeps the bath warm while the pump runs, and air massage is the therapy for relaxation, because the bubbles are gentle and reach the whole body. The heated seat is comfort rather than massage, and because its pads are glued to the tub it is non-refundable once installed, so decide on it before the tub is built.

Which Ella Tubs Carry Which System

Hydro massage runs across the Ella line, from the hydro-only Standard, Zen and Flow to the two-seat tubs, and every tub with a hydro package has an in-line heater. Air massage is offered as part of a therapy package on most families, including the stainless-door, outward-swing, Transfer, two-seat and LayDown tubs. The Standard, Standard60, Zen, Zen60 and Flow are hydro-only platforms and do not carry air jets. The Deluxe ships with a fixed Air plus Hydro package, and the Shak and Big4One ship with digital air massage alongside their dual hydro pumps. The two systems can be combined in one tub: the Transfer 60 is available with bubbles and hydro massage, and the E2C has hydro jets for the back, calves and feet, air jets on the seat and below the feet, and an independent foot massage. Because the air jets and lines are built into the shell at the factory, air massage cannot be added later, so settle the therapy package with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before the tub is built.

Living with a Jetted Walk-In Tub

• Fill before you start. Every air jet must be under water before the blower runs, which on most tubs means a full fill, and the hydro pump needs the water 1 to 2 inches above the highest hydro jet. Running a pump dry causes permanent damage that is not covered by warranty.
• Keep bath water at or below 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Once a month, and any time the jets feel weak, run the vinegar flush: combine 2 cups of white vinegar with 2 cups of water, fill the tub to 1 inch above the highest jets, add the mixture, run the tub for 10 minutes and drain. Clean the pump inlet cover at the same time, and skip bath bombs, which clog the jets.
• Stopping is simple. Hydro stops with one press, air steps down and shuts off on the fourth press, and the heater stops the moment the hydro stops. To cut all power, switch off the tub's dedicated GFCI breakers, as How Do I Turn the Jets Off in an Emergency? explains.
• The jets are brass because you sit and stand on them, but jets on the underside of the shell can break if the tub is set down on them, so the tub is always lifted by the frame.
• The heater and pumps are covered as supporting equipment under the Lifetime Limited Warranty. For a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support, have your therapy package name, which jets are affected, the water level you used, and your model and serial number.

Watch: Experience True Relaxation with Independent Foot Massage Pumps for Walk-In Tubs | Ella’s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• My walk-in tub turned on by itself: the air massage Auto-Purge is normal
• Why Does the Air Massage Blow Cold Air? There Is No Heating Element
• Can You Use Bubble Bath or Shampoo With the Jets Running? Managing Foam in a Jetted Walk-In Tub

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