Who Handles Warranty Repairs on an Ella Tub, Installer or Ella?

Both, but for different parts of the job. Ella's Bubbles handles the part: technical support works through the problem with you from photos, video and a description, and once the defect is verified the replacement part ships free to the original customer's address. Ella does not send technicians, so the hands-on repair is done by your installer or any local licensed plumber or electrician you choose, and Does the Ella Warranty Cover Installation Labor or Only the Tub Itself? shows exactly where the line between the two falls.

Who Does What in a Warranty Repair

The published Lifetime Limited Warranty is a parts warranty written for the first purchaser at the original installation address. Everything it covers is a physical part, and everything it leaves out is work. The table splits a repair into its pieces and names who is responsible for each.

What this means in practice is that a tub warranty claim ends with a box at your door, not a technician in your bathroom. If a pump fails, the pump is covered for life and ships at no charge, but the plumber who disconnects the old one and fits the new one bills you. If the door seal needs replacing, the seal is a part and is covered, and the time someone spends fitting it is labor and is not. Ella's Bubbles will not be liable for incidental expenses or material charges connected with removing or replacing the product or its parts.

The Repair, Step by Step

1. Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850. Have your model and serial number ready. The serial number video shows where it sits, on the label inside one of the removable panels, and that number tells the team when the tub was made and which replacement parts are compatible.
2. Describe the problem and send photos or a short video of the part. Technical support works through the diagnosis with you, and a live video call lets an agent see the tub.
3. Once the defect is verified, the part ships to the original customer's address at no charge. It can also go directly to the installer who will do the work, which is common when a dealer or contractor manages the repair, as How Do I Get a Replacement Heated Seat or Back Pad for My Walk-In Tub? describes for that part.
4. Line up the labor. Your original installer is the natural choice, but any licensed plumber or electrician can do it.
5. Give the contractor the manuals, diagrams and repair videos for your model, and tell them technical support is available to them by phone or live video during the job. They do not need any previous experience with Ella tubs.

If Your Original Installer Is No Longer Around

You are not tied to the person who installed the tub. Ella's Bubbles keeps a nationwide network of partner dealers and independent installers, and the team will look up the partner closest to your installation address whether the tub is new or was installed years ago. Send your full address and the model through ellasbubbles.com/support or by phone and the team sends an email introduction with the contractor copied so you have each other's contact information. You are never required to use that referral, because any licensed local plumber and electrician can do the work and no Ella certification or specialist training is needed. Because the repair is arranged directly between you and that contractor, labor pricing is set by the contractor and never by Ella, so ask for a written estimate. Does Ella's Bubbles Recommend Local Installers or Contractors for Service? explains how the referral works and why your regular plumber is usually the right person to call.

What Your Installer Warrants That Ella Does Not

Ella's Bubbles is the manufacturer. It builds and tests every tub in Chicago and provides free lifetime technical support by phone, email and video, but it does not perform installation or repairs. The workmanship of the installation is warranted by the installer, which is why the labor side of a repair goes back to them or to a contractor you choose. Plumbing and electrical connections, improper installation and water damage to the home are all outside Ella's warranty. If a factory fitting such as a supply line fails and damages the room, the fitting itself ships under the warranty while the damage is reviewed separately. Gather photos of the damage, close-ups of the failed part showing where the leak came from, and the contact information for the contractor who installed the tub, as A Factory Fitting Leaked and Damaged My Bathroom: What to Send and How the Claim Is Reviewed sets out. Keep the old part, because the team will want to see it.

The One Case Where a Technician Is Scheduled

Some Ella shower units are built by a partner manufacturer, and warranty service on those follows that manufacturer's field service program rather than the parts-only model used for tubs. Open a ticket with photos, the model and serial number and the installation address. Ella forwards the claim to the shower manufacturer's warranty team, which issues a service request number and an appointment date with a local service partner who inspects the unit and completes the repairs at that visit. Repairs are covered when the problems found are true manufacturing defects, while damage, installation errors and ordinary wear are not. If you are told payment will be due at the visit, contact Ella's support team before the appointment. Does a Technician Come Out for an Ella Shower Warranty Repair? covers both paths.

Watch: Ella's Bubbles: Serial Number Location with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Labor Coverage Comes From Your Installer: What to Ask For in Writing Before the Tub Goes In
• What can void my Ella's Bubbles walk-in tub warranty?
• How do I start a warranty claim for my Ella walk-in tub?

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