Your pet means the world to you, but wouldn't it be great not to have to get up in the wee hours to let your precious companion outside? If your pet is used to the great outdoors, a patio pet door may be the key to freedom for your pet and a good night's sleep for you!
Types of Doors
You'll find many pet doors on the market, including those that you can install into walls, screens, or wooden or glass doors. The drawback on those doors is that you do need to install them. Though most aren't difficult to mount, each will leave a hole in your door or wall should you ever choose to get rid of your pet door. Though you can install doors into glass sliding doors, it's recommended you hire a professional because of the glass cutting and other special installation problems.
Because of these issues, the most popular type of patio pet door is the sliding glass pet door, or panel door. A panel door is a glass panel that slides into place in your own sliding door opening and allows you to continue to use your door without removing the pet door.
Choosing a Door
Even after you decide which kind of door you want to install, you have to consider several issues when choosing exactly which door to buy. Decide if you want the door to be temporary or long-term. If you travel frequently, a temporary door will be easy to remove while you're away. If you want a long-term door, decide whether you want to keep it installed all year and, if so, what kind of weather-proofing considerations you will need. If you live in location with harsh summers or winters, weather stripping or double-pane glass may be necessary.
You also want to make sure you get a door that fits both your existing door and your pet. If installing a patio panel door, measure how wide your door opens. This will tell you how much room you have to use your door around the pet panel. Most importantly, measure the track height of your patio door to make certain you get a pet panel that fits into your patio door opening.
Whether you install a sliding glass pet panel or traditional pet door, you must measure your pet to make sure it has room to comfortably use the new door. Measure from the floor to the bottom of your pet's abdomen to ascertain the height of the pet door's lower edge. Measure to your pet's height at its shoulder to determine the height of the opening itself.
If you're handy with tools, you may choose not to purchase a door at all. A do-it-yourself project can be less expensive and more satisfying than buying a manufactured door. However, building a door can be difficult if you don't have the tools or experience. You might also sacrifice the security or aesthetics of a factory door if you choose a low-cost method.
Installing Your Door
All pet doors come with instructions, but the easiest to install is the manufactured sliding glass door. You can install a sliding glass panel door with your bare hands and a screwdriver. Clean the door track of any debris that could compromise the fit or damage your pet panel. You may also have to remove the lock from your patio door to ensure a good fit. After attaching the sliding glass pet door to your sliding door, loosen any friction knobs at the top of the pet panel. Lift the pet door onto the sliding frame top first, and then fit the bottom. Finish by pushing the door closed and tightening the friction knobs. Be careful through the whole process, as almost all pet door panels contain glass.
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