Installation prices will vary, depending on installation location and materials.
For instance, getting a PlexiDor installed in a house door usually ranges between $200-$350.
The door must be installed at a height tall enough for the tall dog to pass through without hitting their back, yet low enough for the short dog to get over the threshold.
We recommend that the dog door is installed with a 2 inch clearance from the top of the dog's back to the opening of the door.
Depending on your circumstances, there are many advantages to having a pet door.
A pet door provides easy and convenient access to the outdoors, which means you no longer have to plan around potty breaks.
Yes, compared to opening a household door, an energy-efficient pet door can save money on heating and cooling.
Every time a human–size household door is opened to let a dog or cat in or out, the air inside the home blends with the air outside.
It depends on what pet door you get. A high quality dog door or cat door will have safety features to ensure the security of your home.
The glass used in a window or door is tempered – a process that increases its strength but also makes it impossible to cut without shattering.
In order to install a pet door through a window or a glass door, the pane must be replaced.
The PlexiDor Glass Series is a prefabricated one-piece glass door insert, designed to fit French doors and patio doors.
Condensation can in extreme cases freeze the dog door shut, but it is possible to fix the problem.
The first thing to do is make sure there's sufficient insulation in the hole where the dog door or cat door is installed.
Yes, the PlexiDor Electronic pet door can be programmed for up to ten pets.
The keys that arrive with the door are pre-programmed, but if you need more collar keys, programming them is easy.
The mounting hole for your old pet door probably won't be exactly the same as for the PlexiDor, but you can usually alter the existing hole to fit.
Give our customer service a call at 800-749–9609 option 3.
A pet door can help get chewing problems under control, but it depends on why the pet chews.
There are dog doors guaranteed to be chew proof. These usually have a higher up-front cost, but if you know your dog is prone to chewing, it will save a lot of money in the long run.
Most pets take to their new cat door or dog door quickly – they want to get to the other side – but others need some training. Many get it in a few seconds, others might need a week or two.
Yes, an episode of “This Old House” featured a PlexiDor wall installation
You can see the video on their website; the door installation starts right after 16 minutes into the video. They talk about why they're putting the door where they're putting it, how they decided how big the door would need to be, and show the installation.
The PlexiDor dog doors and cat door have been developed together with pet owners, to find solutions that satisfy the demands of both pets and people.
For example, most pet owners don’t want to replace flaps, so the PlexiDor doesn’t have flaps.
The PlexiDor cat door is intended for cats up to 24 lbs and dogs up to 9 lbs. The weight limit for cats is so much higher because they’re built differently than dogs and move differently than dogs.
The medium and large size PlexiDors are constructed the same way.
The medium door is suitable for dogs up to 40 pounds and the large for dogs up to 100 pounds.
The extra large PlexiDor is constructed to withstand daily use by dogs up to 220 pounds, and the panels are different than on the smaller models.
Dogs larger than 220 pounds may still be able to use the door – it will depend on their build.
Most pet doors are manual, but if you want control of which animals can open the door, an automatic door is a better choice.
On a manual dog door or cat door, the pet pushes the door open when going through.
Puppies grow fast; get the size pet door you will need for the dog as an adult.
It may seem logical to start with a smaller door when the dog is small and gradually increase the size, but you will have to buy several doors – and install several doors.
Sir Isaac Newton is often accredited with inventing the pet door, but humans have had holes in walls for their pets for thousands of years.
It's hard to estimate how long ago the oldest pet door would have been built, but we do know both dogs and cats have accompanied humans for millennia.
The keys for the PlexiDor Electronic are water proof and will not be damaged by the dog going for a swim.
A dog door or a cat door can have a significant impact on your indoor climate, for better and for worse, so choose a high quality door appropriate for your area.
Many cheaper flap doors can allow wind, sun, and even snow to enter the house.
There are several differences between a single and a double flap door.
A single flap door has one flap that usually hangs on the inside of the door.
When the door is closed, the PlexiDor panels and weather seal are tight enough to keep bugs out of the house.
We have feedback from customers in areas with big problems with black flies, and the flies do not enter through the PlexiDor.
There are pet doors made from wood, but they're not common.
Most pets don't like opening a wooden flap or wooden panels – it's hard for them to see the door, and they don't get a feeling of what's on the other side.
Whether water will come in through a pet door or not depends on the situation and the type of door.
Most pet door manufacturers have taken precautions to ensure regular rain won't enter a house through the pet door.
The regular PlexiDor dog doors and cat door come with a 10 year warranty.
If an older dog stops using the pet door, the problem is usually related to aches and pains.
The PlexiDor panels are always see-through, but the frame is available in white, bronze, or brushed aluminum. The PlexiDor awning is available in white or bronze.
Framing depth measures the distance from a pet door's inside frame to the outside frame.
Installing a pet door is usually fairly easy, but it may depend on the type of door and where exactly you want it to be.
Some pet doors are extremely easy to install, for instance pet doors for sash windows.
The most common dog door problem is flaps needing replacement, and this is more frequent on lower grade pet doors that use cheaper materials. Even if the dog doesn't chew the flap, it is likely to crack, warp, discolor, and sometimes even shrink with time.
If you live in an area with strong winds or other severe weather conditions, we recommend investing in a PlexiDor – the door will not blow open, and it will keep other types of weather outside.
In high wind areas, even flap doors with strong magnets might come open.
You can install a pet door under a window like a regular wall installation if there is enough room.
If you have a flap-type door and the flap repeatedly rips along the top edge, the door is probably too small for your dog – or installed too low.
Make sure the top of the pet door opening is a couple of inches higher than the back of your tallest pet.
The most common mistakes are probably getting a door that's much bigger than the pet needs, and buying the cheapest door possible.
A flap door that's much larger than the pet needs can be difficult to open, because the flap becomes too heavy.
The Plexidor Electronic pet door is designed to plug into a standard US or Canadian household outlet – 110-120 V power.
The PlexiDor Electronic pet door has been designed to work on all metal doors, aluminum is not a problem. It should not be affected by a wireless modem, alarm system, electric fence, or anything similar.
No pet door can guarantee that the cats don't go outside with the dog.
The cat may not have a key to open the PlexiDor Electronic, but cats are fast and smart, and if they want to go outside, they'll figure out that they can use the door with the dog.
No, the PlexiDor Electronic opens automatically – for pets with the right key. There are electronic pet doors where the key only locks or unlocks the door, and the pet still has to push it open to go through.
Any animal able to wear a collar with a collar key can use the door.
The PlexiDor Electronic opens when a collar key with the right RFID is close enough.
The PlexiDor cat door accommodates cats up to 24 pounds and is sufficient even for very large cats.
An average size Labrador will need a large PlexiDor dog door.
Labradors come in a variety of sizes and there's a difference between English labs and American labs.
The PlexiDor Extra Large is constructed for dogs up to 220 pounds and will accommodate very large breeds such as Irish Wolfhounds, Great Pyrenees, Newfoundlands, and Great Danes.
Dog doors for pets this size face some unique challenges; a traditional flap door can't stand up to the power produced by a 220 pound dog hitting it at full speed.
An average size Beagle will need a medium PlexiDor.
An average size Chihuahua will need a small PlexiDor.
The Newfoundland is a very large, strong, and energetic breed, and the PlexiDor Extra Large will be the best choice – this door is constructed for having dogs this size running through it.
The average German Shepherd weighs between 75 and 95 pounds.
The PlexiDor has heavy duty springs concealed in the frame that close the panels once the pet has gone through.
The springs allow the panels to open easily without blowing open – it's important that the pet can go through without much effort – and close quickly and securely.
In extreme weather conditions, the aluminum tunnel can be cold and slippery, but the problem can be solved.
The PlexiDor wall models come with an aluminum tunnel that covers the sides, top, and bottom of the hole through the wall.
The PlexiDor Electronic does not currently interact through an app – it reads an RFID chip in the pet's collar key.
There are pet doors that can be operated through an app to for instance monitor how many times the door opens in a day.
The PlexiDor Electronic will only open for pets with the right key. Even if your neighbor has an identical door, your door will only respond to the correct key codes.
The PlexiDor Electronic is difficult to force open and not a likely point of entry for potential burglars.
A small Irish Wolfhound may be able to use an electronic PlexiDor, but large individuals will not be able to get through the opening.
Yes, you can install a pet door in a house door with recessed panels.
Pet doors with plastic frames can be too flexible to be used on a house door that isn't flat, and it's easier to install a cat or dog door with aluminum frame, such as the PlexiDor.
Whether or not your pets will set off the alarm will depend on the alarm system.
Most motion sensors exclude small animals – there are probably already animals moving in the yard during both days and nights.
Cat doors are too small for a person to get through and will not allow intruders access to a house.
If you are concerned about security, give us a call at 800–749–9609 and speak with customer service.
The PlexiDor Electronic can be programmed for up to ten collar keys.
Most households never reach the ten key limit, but if a pet loses a key and it needs to be replaced, it can happen.
If your pet door has created a draft, it's because it doesn't close tight enough, or it isn't insulated well enough.
Depending on the placement of a pet door and what kind of pets use it, flap replacements can be a frequent nuisance for flap door owners. Besides the obvious solution – invest in a door that doesn't use flaps – there are some things that can make them last longer.
Even very small dog breeds can use dog doors. Pick a door that opens easily, like the small PlexiDor, and make sure you install it at an appropriate height.
Putting in a new pet door that's smaller than the old one can be a little tricky, but it's definitely manageable.
Dogs like to dig, and understanding why they do it may help manage the instinct. Some dogs never dig, and others love to do it.
Most pets push their dog door or cat door open with their heads, but the doors open so easily they won't get headaches.
If a pet door were to cause a pet pain, they would be unlikely to use it.
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