When water climbs over the back deck of your walk-in tub as soon as the jets come on, the cause is almost always the fill level. Filling all the way to the overflow and then adding jet pressure pushes the surface up and over the rear deck, where it runs down behind the tub and can find its way to the gap around the door frame. Fill the tub only far enough to cover the highest jets, turn the intensity down, and have your installer seal the deck-to-wall joint with silicone. Those three steps stop the problem in nearly every case.

Why the Water Goes over the Back

Hydro and air jets move a lot of water. With the surface sitting at the overflow, there is no room for the churn the jets create, so the water rises and spills at the closest low point, which is usually the deck behind the backrest. Your body also displaces water once you sit down, so a tub that looked fine while filling can be over the line once you are in it. In most cases this is not a door seal problem. It is the water level working against the jets.

Fill Lower, but Still Cover the Back Jets

The right level is high enough to cover every jet, including the ones in the backrest, and no higher. Jets that are not fully submerged spray water, so do not go below the top jet either. The full guidance by therapy type is in how much water to add before turning on the jets, and this article on the fill line shows where that line sits on the tub.

1. Sit down in the tub and close the door before you judge the level.
2. Fill until the water is about one inch above the highest jet in the backrest.
3. Start the jets on a low setting and raise the intensity gradually.
4. If water reaches the edge of the deck, let a little out and try again at a lower level.

Turn the Intensity Down

On the hydro massage, use the intensity dial to reduce the flow until the surface settles. On a three-speed air massage push control, the first press is high speed, the second press is medium, the third press is low, and a fourth press turns the system off. Many people find medium or low keeps the water calm while still giving a good massage. If you only want the foot jets, you do not need a full fill at all. See how to use only the foot massage.

Seal the Deck-To-Wall Joint

Even with the level corrected, splash can land on the deck and run toward the wall. Your installer should run a bead of regular silicone along the joint where the tub deck meets the wall so any water there drains back into the tub instead of behind it. The article on tub leaks at the corners or wall covers the flange and joint sealing in detail. Ella does not send technicians, so this is work for your installer or a local contractor.

Using a Shower Screen

A shower screen adds a physical barrier along the wall side of the tub and can partially catch spray from the jets as well as from the hand shower. It is optional, but if you already have one, make sure it is positioned correctly. The 4-fold screen must sit on the inside edge of the deck to keep water in the tub. If your spill only happens while using the hand shower, see why water sprays out of the tub with the hand shower.

Related Videos

Watch: Walk-In Tub with Push Controls & Digital Touchpad for Easy, Effortless Bathing with chapters and a full transcript.

Common Questions

Still Need Help?

Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and have your model and serial number ready.