What is an air tub and how does air bath therapy work?

An air tub is a bathtub with an air massage system: a blower mounted under the tub pushes air through small jets set into the seat, the base of the seat and the footwell floor, so the water around you fills with a gentle, effervescent full-body bubble massage. On an Ella walk-in tub the air system is built into the shell at the factory, runs on a three-speed blower, and is started from a push button or a digital touchpad on the deck. The jets themselves are described in What Are Air Massage Jets on a Walk-In Tub?; this page explains the whole system from button to bubbles, how an air bath differs from a hydro or whirlpool bath, and what owning one involves.

How an Air Bath Works, from the Button to the Bubbles

The deck controls on an Ella air tub are pneumatic rather than electrical. The second video on this page shows the connection: the push control sends an air signal through a thin air tube to the control box under the tub, and the control box starts the blower. If an air massage will not start, the most common cause shown in that video is that the air tube has come off its nipple on the control box or on the back of the button, and it is pushed and twisted back on to secure the connection.

Once the blower runs it 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 jets are brass because you sit and stand on them. The typical air pump is a 4.5A 500W three-speed blower, and the Elite uses a 6.4A blower.

The speeds are chosen by counting presses. On the 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. On the digital touchpad, the first video shows the air bubble icon touched once to start the massage, the plus and minus buttons raising and lowering the intensity, and the icon held for two seconds to turn the system off. The same video shows the hydro massage starting with one touch of the water button and its strength set by the intensity dial, which is the main control difference between the two systems.

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 runs automatically, cannot be stopped, and is completely normal even if you are still in the bathroom when it starts.

Air Tub, Hydro Tub and Soaker Side by Side

The differences matter in three ways. The feel is different, because air gives a soft all-over fizz while hydro pushes water at specific muscles. The warmth is different, because only the hydro loop carries a heater. And the upkeep is different, because an air or hydro tub has lines that need the monthly flush while a soaker does not. The deep-massage side of the comparison is in What Are Hydro Massage Jets on a Walk-In Tub?.

Why an Air Bath Cools Faster Than a Hydro Bath

The in-line water heater on an Ella tub is plumbed into the hydro massage loop and runs only while the hydro pump runs, maintaining the temperature of the hot water you filled with. It does nothing for the air massage, which has no heater, and an air-only tub has no in-line heater at all. So on an air tub your home water heater sets the bath temperature, and the water cools during the soak the way any bath does. Fill with comfortably hot water from the faucet and keep bath water at or below 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. What Is an In-Line Water Heater on a Walk-In Tub? explains the heater if you are deciding between an air package and a hydro package, and if you own a tub with both systems and the water still drops during a hydro session, Why Doesn't the Water Stay Hot and Why Do the Jets Blow Cold? lists the checks in order.

Which Ella Tubs Are Air Tubs

Air massage is offered as part of a therapy package on most Ella 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 + Hydro package, and the Shak and Big4One ship with digital air massage alongside their dual hydro pumps. Because the jets and lines are molded into the shell at the factory, air massage cannot be added to a tub later, and a jetted tub cannot be turned into a soaker. Decide on the package before you order, and ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 to confirm the packages available on a specific model.

Living with an Air Tub

• Fill first. Every air jet must be under water before you start the blower, which on most tubs means a full fill.
• Flush monthly. The vinegar flush cleans the air and hydro lines: 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. Soaking Walk-In Tub vs Jetted Tub: Which Is Easier to Maintain? compares that routine with the upkeep of a jet-free soaker.
• Skip bath bombs, which clog jets. In a jetted tub salts and oils collect in the lines instead of rinsing away with the drain as they do in a soaker.
• Lift by the frame. Jets on the underside of the shell can break off if the tub is set down on them, so the tub is always lifted by its frame.
• Count from off. If the speeds feel out of order, the first press is always high and the fourth press always turns the system off.
• Expect the purge. The blast of air about 20 minutes after your bath is Auto Purge finishing its 120 second cycle, not a fault.

For a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support, note your therapy package, how the button responds to each press, whether Auto Purge fires after a bath, and your model and serial number.

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

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