Question: Good afternoon, Robert. I’m hoping you’ll have some good information on this question, as you always seem to know the answers. We’ve had a pet door for years, but it is pretty beat up now and we are looking for something more weather-resistant, especially in the heat of the summer. The one we’ve had is the kind you stand up in the sliding glass door and it was a good quality one, but needless to say, not equivalent to the slider itself. Any ideas on making a better choice as we are nearing replacement on this?
– Janette S.
Answer: Janette, you have a few good options. The one I recommend the most is, to have a glass company come out who specializes in this and customizing your existing sliding door.
What they do is take accurate measurements and fabricate a whole new glass panel for the existing sliding frame. The top is the normal glass, but the bottom has the dog door built into the lower glass panel. The dog door swings as they all do, but it is part of the slider itself, so you lose no space when opening the door, as you do currently. They are more weatherproof also, and definitely more secure.
Another option if you have space in a wall where you want the dog to go out would be to install a pet door right into the wall itself. They have kits for this, and going a step further, the dog can wear a collar that activates the door when it is near, giving a bit more security. Personally, I like the sliding door option. A bit costly but worth it. Best of luck.
Robert Lamoureux has more than 40 years of experience as a general contractor, with separate licenses in electrical and plumbing contracting. He owns IMS Construction Inc. in Valencia. His opinions are his own, not necessarily those of The Signal. Opinions expressed in this column are not meant to replace the recommendations of a qualified contractor after that contractor has made a thorough visual inspection. Email questions to Robert at [email protected].
