Who handles a walk-in tub warranty repair, Ella or my installer?
Updated November 2026
Ella's Bubbles handles the warranty part, and your installer or a local licensed plumber or electrician handles the repair work. Under the Lifetime Limited Warranty, Ella verifies the fault from your ticket and ships the replacement part to the original installation address at no charge, but Ella does not send technicians, so the labor to fit that part belongs to whoever you hire locally. The air pump is the most common example, and Air pump stopped working: does Ella or my installer handle the warranty? works through that case in detail, while this page covers the split for any part on the tub.
Two Warranties, Two Owners
A warranty repair on a walk-in tub really involves two separate warranties. The first is Ella's Lifetime Limited Warranty, which covers the bathtub shell, frame, door, door seal and finish, and all supporting equipment, including motors, pumps, fixtures, electronic controls, the faucet, the waste and overflow and plated finishes. It is a parts-only warranty. The thermostatic control valve is the one component with a shorter term, a 1-year limited warranty, and a faucet from another brand carries only its own maker's warranty.
The second warranty is the one on the installation itself. Ella never performs installs or repairs, so the workmanship on the plumbing, the electrical connections and the setting of the tub is warranted by the independent contractor who did that work. Ella is not bound by warranty promises made by dealers, retailers, distributors or contractors, and an installer cannot grant or deny Ella's parts warranty on Ella's behalf. When something stops working, the question is which of the two warranties the problem falls under, and most of the time the answer is both. Ella supplies the part, and the installer's labor warranty, if one was offered when the tub went in, covers the swap. If your installer offered no labor warranty, the hands-on work is still theirs to do, or any local licensed plumber or electrician can do it, and Ella supports whoever is at the tub.
Who Does What, Step by Step
| Step | Ella's Bubbles | Your installer or a local licensed trade | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reporting the fault | Reviews your ticket, photos, serial number and any test results | Not needed to open the claim | You can file the claim yourself, even if the installer is unavailable |
| Diagnosis | Guides the checks by phone, email or video while someone is at the tub | Runs the checks under the access panel | The fastest diagnosis happens with a plumber on site and on the phone at the same time |
| Coverage decision | Confirms coverage under the published terms | Cannot grant or deny Ella's warranty | Only Ella can promise or refuse a part |
| Replacement part | Ships the matched part to the original installation address after verification | Receives it and confirms it matches the old part | Nothing to buy or pay for on the part itself |
| Labor to remove and fit the part | Not covered and not performed | Does the work; any labor warranty is theirs | Arrange the labor with your contractor |
| Technician visit | None; Ella has no field service crew | The only person at the tub | Do not wait for a visit that will not come |
The table splits cleanly down the middle. Everything that is a part, and every decision about whether that part is covered, belongs to Ella under Ella's published terms. Everything that involves hands on the tub belongs to a local licensed trade. Knowing that in advance saves days, because the right first move is to open a ticket with Ella and line up your plumber or electrician at the same time, rather than waiting for one to send you to the other.
What Ella Needs to Verify the Claim
Verification is what releases the part, so a complete first message matters. Ella asks for photos of the defective part, a description of the problem, the serial number and your contact and shipping details. The serial number is on the label behind the magnetic access panel next to the door, and the model name is on your order paperwork. Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850.
- A dead air pump is tested by unplugging it from the blue control box and plugging it straight into the wall outlet. If it runs, the pump is fine and the fault is in the button hose, the box or the wiring; if it does nothing, the pump itself is replaced. The full sequence is in Air Pump Whines or Stopped Working: Tests Before Replacement and How a New Pump Ships.
- A loud noise from the pump or heater area is diagnosed from a short video of the noise and a phone call with your installer or plumber while they are at the tub, as described in Loud Noise From the Pump or Heater Area: What to Send Support and Why Ella Works Through Your Installer.
- A leaking tube under the tub is identified from a video recorded with the pump running, so support can name the line and confirm the coupling or tubing size before anything ships; see Air Line Leaking Under the Tub: Cut Out the Hole and Rejoin With a Coupling.
Some faults turn out to need no part at all. The video on this page shows a push button stuck in the down position because of an air lock in the control tube. Disconnecting the red tube from the control box lets the button pop back up, and reconnecting it restores the audible click of the relay. That is the kind of check support may ask for before a replacement is approved, and it is simple enough for a homeowner or installer to do with the access panel off.
Activation, Ownership and Exclusions
Warranty activation is required to put the warranty in force. The 2-page activation form must be completed and signed by both the customer and the installer and returned to Ella's Bubbles, online at ellasbubbles.com/warranty-activation/. That installer signature is the one place where your contractor is part of Ella's warranty paperwork, so collect it before the crew leaves on installation day.
The warranty belongs to the first purchaser only. It is nontransferable and tied to the original installation address, so it does not apply to a tub that has changed hands or been relocated. It excludes display models and tubs modified or repaired by anyone other than Ella's Bubbles, and it never covers labor, installation, removal, plumbing or electrical connections, or water damage to the home. Fitting the part Ella sent, with support's guidance, is the normal path. Before your installer alters anything beyond the part being replaced, have them check with support so the work does not fall under the modification exclusion.
While the Part Is on Its Way
When support has confirmed that a whining air pump is faltering and a replacement is coming, the tub can usually still be used until the new pump is installed; confirm that with support for your own case. A burst of air pump noise after the bath is normal on any tub, because Auto Purge starts about 20 minutes after the air pump is turned off and runs for 120 seconds to blow residual water out of the air lines. It cannot be stopped and is not a sign of a bad pump.
If the replacement arrives and does not look like the part already under the tub, do not connect it. Send photos of the old part and the new one, showing the fitting where the pipe joins, and support confirms the match against your model and serial number, as explained in Is the Replacement Air Blower the Right One for My Tub? How to Confirm the Match. Once the match is confirmed, your installer shuts off power at the breaker, disconnects the old part from the line and the wiring, and fits the new unit in the same position, with support on the phone if anything is unclear.
Chapters in this video
- 0:00 Pneumatic Push Button Controls The video introduces how push button controls work using pneumatic pressure and a red connection tube.
- 0:32 Activating the Relay Switch Pushing the button creates pneumatic pressure, which activates the relay switch inside the control box.
- 1:05 Relieving an Air Lock The video demonstrates how to relieve an air lock by disconnecting the red tube from the control box.
- 1:20 Reconnecting the Tube After reconnecting the tube, pushing the button should produce an audible clicking sound from the control box.
Watch: Push Button Control Issues and Repair with chapters and a full transcript.
Related Guides
- Does Ella Send a Technician? Parts, Labor, and Free Lifetime Tech Support Explained
- Labor Coverage Comes From Your Installer: What to Ask For in Writing Before the Tub Goes In
- Does Hiring My Own Contractor Void the Ella Walk-In Tub Warranty?
Common Questions
Does my installer have to file the warranty claim for me?
Will Ella send a technician to fix my tub?
My original installer is no longer in business, so who repairs it now?
Who pays for the labor on a warranty part replacement?
Can my dealer promise warranty coverage on Ella's behalf?
Does the warranty still apply if I move the tub to another house?
About this guide. Answers in the Ella’s Bubbles Support Center are compiled from real conversations with tub owners, our technicians’ notes and the product documentation, then reviewed by our team. Tub models and options have evolved over the years, so a detail here may differ slightly from your exact tub. If something looks different on yours, send us your serial number and a specialist will confirm it for your model.
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