BookmarkAll About Pet Doors
What are they?
A pet door (also known as a doggie door or pet flap) is a hinged flap installed into a door, wall, or window. Its purpose is to allow cats, dogs, or other domestic pets to enter and exit a house on their own, without the need for a person to open and close the door.
Pet doors are very popular with certain cat owners, who prefer to encourage their cats' natural independence by allowing them to come and go at will. Doors for most dogs must be quite larger, and therefore are often made differently. Generally, pet doors are installed at the back door of a house, giving access to fenced-in yards and gardens rather than the entire neighborhood.
Most experts suggest a pet door should be set at a height so that the bottom of the opening is just a bit lower than the belly of the animal when standing. Most animals prefer to use a transparent flap, as they tend to know whether there is anything threatening outside before leaving the safety of the home.
Traditional pet doors
The simplest pet doors are merely weighted flaps, but these can have problems with wind blowing open the flap or creating an annoying rattling noise. To combat this problem, a magnet is installed on the flap to hold the door in place when it's not in use. However, the magnet is weak enough to let pets in and out with minimal force.
Oftentimes a pet door will feature adjustable catches to restrict the opening of the flap in one direction or the other. The purpose of this design is to allow an animal to come in, but not go out again.
Electronic pet doors
New to the market, electric pet doors have become increasingly popular over the last decade. In fact, many pet owners don't even consider traditional pet doors anymore because of the many benefits that electronic pet doors offer.
Most electronic pet doors employ a sliding door instead of a flap. Not only is a sliding door much sturdier, it offers superior protection from the elements. These doors offer better insulation, keeping warm or cold air in the house. They also offer a better seal, which keeps the rain and snow out when the door is closed.
There are several kinds of electronic pet doors, the most popular being motion sensor and electromagnetic. Motion sensor pet doors use a small motion sensor to determine when a pet is near the door, which activates the door, opening and closing it. Electromagnetic pet doors use a small device put on the collar of a pet, which sends a signal to the door when the pet is near. This eliminates false opening of the door, ensuring that the door will only open for a pet wearing the special collar.
More information on pet doors