What to Consider Before Having a Pet Door Installed

Schedule Now

Giving your dog or cat the freedom to come inside and outside on its own provides a long list of benefits for the animal, both physically and emotionally. If you’re thinking about installing a pet door, consider the factors that will affect your pet, energy costs, safety and budget.

  • The type. Pet doors are made from materials with different thicknesses. If you’re considering one for a dog, choose the thickness based on its propensity to chew. You may want a thicker door if you have a larger dog or one that habitually gnaws on objects.
  • The placement. Pet doors are available that fit into sliding glass doors and walls. Putting the door into a patio door is often the easiest and most convenient, especially if your door operates smoothly.
  • Its operation. If your yard isn’t fenced and the pet door is simply a flap on hinges, other pets or wild animals can enter your home out of curiosity or the need for food. Pet doors are available that operate magnetically or electronically. You place a small magnet or computer chip on the pet’s collar and the only animals that can come in or go out must have the device on the collar. Although it’s possible to break into such a pet door, it will discourage intruders.
  • Its size. The door should be sized to accommodate the largest pet in your home, and the smallest pet should be capable of pushing it open with its head.
  • Energy efficiency. Taking into account the door’s energy efficiency before installing a pet door can save you money on cooling and heating bills. Some flap doors allow a good deal of air to infiltrate your home, driving up energy costs. Dual-flap pet doors offer better air sealing, as does a locking solid panel door. The latter also gives you control over when you want your pet outside.

If you’re considering installing a pet door, let the pros at Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing help you out. Our handyman services in the greater Cincinnati area will assure that you get as professional and energy-efficient installation as possible.

Image via Shutterstock.com

"Ernie & Mike did a superb job on my new furnace and A/C installation. Despite having more than a day’s work to do, they came in and stayed until the job was done. They were organized, efficient, and protected the rest of the house well. Got both furnace and A/C installed the same day. Ernie was courteous, informative, and clearly knew his job better than anyone I’ve encountered before. The units look so good guests now get The Tour of our new system. Apollo is clearly not a fly-by-night company. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a new furnace and/or A/C."
- Jerry A.
"I called Apollo because of a water leak I thought I had in our upstairs shower going into the kitchen. Robbie came and assured me everything was fine & looked at all the other plumbing. He ended up changing a few pipes for our washer & clearing a drain. He was very nice & knowledgeable with all my questions. I ended up signing up for the care plan & was very happy with my service."
- Cassandra B.
"The team at Apollo exceeded my expectations. As a business owner, my attention to the details and commitment to providing excellent service is high. From the sales rep. to the installation team, everyone’s performance was outstanding. For example, the installation team went to great lengths to protect our floors, placing floor runners and across the wood floors and up the stairs. They even were spot washing walls upon their departure. I highly recommend this company."
- Randy B.
"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
- Sarah B.
"Apollo is an excellent company. I always receive great service. Alex A. was professional and friendly. He kept me informed during the process of checking my furnace and heat pump to make sure they were working properly. The company makes sure you are notified who is coming and when they are on the way. All my interactions with the company have been wonderful."
- Beverly S.
    Image

    Financing

    Image

    Apollo Care Plan