Frequently Asked Questions

A: Installation costs will vary, depending on where you want the door installed and what type of door or wall you have. When talking about wall installations, unexpected snags such as electrical outlets, plumbing, air ducts, wiring, and similar can also affect the price. If you intend to install your pet door through a wall, it's a good idea to choose a backup location, just in case your first choice reveals something inside the wall that can't be moved. Getting a PlexiDor installed in a house door usually ranges between $200 and $350. Having the PlexiDor installed in a house wall usually ends up between $400 and $1,600 depending on the wall material. Wood studs are lower cost than concrete walls - they are easier to handle and the installation will be faster. Use our Find a Dealer Tool to locate a dealer near you.

A: The PlexiDor panels close tight, are insulated, and are lined with high quality weather seal, so the PlexiDor shouldn't create a draft in the house. Many pet owners who live in a cold climate have experienced drafts with lower quality pet doors. Flap doors may even allow wind, rain, and snow to enter the house, and having a draft makes the home feel colder than it really is. The PlexiDor panels are molded to insulate against both cold and heat, and they are lined with industrial grade weather seal. The doors are very popular in areas with cold winters and can help save on heating and cooling bills.  

A: Most pet doors are manual, meaning the pet pushes the dog door or cat door open when going through. An electronic door gives more control of which animals can open the door. The regular PlexiDors are manual, and available in sizes small through extra large to accommodate a variety of pets and households. On these doors, the panels act as a window for the pet, enticing them to approach and open the door. The electronic door opens when a pet with a key comes close enough. The key is an RFID tag that attaches to the pet's collar, and the door will only open for a pet with a key. When the door unlocks, the panel slides up like a miniature garage door, and it closes automatically when the pet has gone through. There is no guarantee another dog or cat won't sneak through the door together with the pet with the key, but they would have to go close to each other.  

A: When the PlexiDor is closed, the panels and weather seal will keep flies and other bugs out of the house. There is no guarantee an insect won't come into the house with a pet - or that a pet won't lie down in the opening, propping the panels open, but that is true for any pet door. We do have feedback from pet owners in areas with many black flies, and the flies have not entered their homes through the PlexiDor.

A: The PlexiDor is constructed and manufactured in the USA, in Bradenton, Florida. Bradenton is located just south of Tampa, on Florida's east coast. Manufacturing, warehouse, and offices are located in Bradenton and the door has been made here since 1985.

A: The PlexiDor has a higher up-front cost than many other pet doors, but it is also one of the cheapest doors to own over its lifetime. The PlexiDor's frame is made from aluminum and will never crack or warp like other pet door frames may do. It will keep working and look just the same through the years. The see-through panels won't need replacing - no more worrying about flaps. The panels are made from a special material called K9Glass that is designed to withstand daily use and abuse by rambunctious pets as well as weather and time. These high-grade materials make the door more expensive to manufacture than cheaper competitors, but saves both money and work in the long run. Depending on climate and usage, many owners of cheaper dog doors and cat doors have to replace flaps several times every year. Others need to replace them once a year or once every second year. The panels on the PlexiDor will keep looking good and keep working. Over a ten-year period, the PlexiDor will require little maintenance, no replacement flaps, and saves energy - which in turn saves money on heating and cooling. In hot climates, the PlexiDor saves AC costs, and in cold climates, it saves heating costs. The PlexiDor locks from the inside and comes with a metal security plate. It is very difficult to force a PlexiDor open when it's locked and has the security plate attached.

A: The PlexiDor Glass Series is designed to replace the glass in a French door or a sliding glass door. It is a prefabricated glass pane with a factory installed PlexiDor, making installation in your home a breeze. The product uses glass that has been tempered and is insulated, to help keep weather outside. The glass is the same kind used in car windows, shower doors, and diving masks, and it is very strong. Both glass and frame have a five-year warranty. You can get the product with any size manual PlexiDor: small, medium, large, or extra large. The PlexiDor has a ten-year warranty. We can help you find an authorized installer who will help you measure, store the original glass in case you want to revert the door to functioning without a pet door, and of course perform the installation. Call 888-PET-DOOR (888-738-3667).

A: Under normal weather conditions, the wind cannot blow a PlexiDor open. PlexiDor panels open at a gentle touch, but they also have a spring that keeps them closed up to wind speeds of 30 miles per hour. If you expect a hurricane or other type of extreme weather with strong wind gusts, your pets shouldn't be unsupervised outside. Lock the PlexiDor and attach the security plate.

A: The PlexiDor is the best pet door for cold weather. The doors will function without problems down to -40 degrees (C or F), and work at even lower temperatures. Though, when the quicksilver falls below -40, the door will get frosty and the weather seal may freeze to the frame. PlexiDor dog doors and cat door are popular in Canada, and have been sealing Canadian weather out for more than 20 years. In the USA, Alaska is the best selling state per dog household. Many pet doors are made from plastic and vinyl. The PlexiDor frame is made from aluminum and the panels from K9 Composite.  Our frames are three to four times as thick as all other frames on the market. This makes the door sturdy and prevents it from warping in extreme weather. And, the corners of the frames are fitted together with metal fasteners and clips, to make sure the frame stays together. The K9 Composite is a material formulated specifically for pet door panels. It is an acrylic alloy similar to airplane windshields that withstands both weather and something hitting it with speed. The average PlexiDor panel can be in use for 20 or even 30 years without cracking or warping. The weather seal is another important difference between the PlexiDor and other pet doors. We use a nylon pile weather seal that is used in doors for malls and movie theaters. It can withstand millions of open-close cycles in cold weather. If you live in a cold climate, the most important thing to think of is keeping humidity away from the PlexiDor. Avoid mounting the door near a dryer wall-vent - the moisture from the dryer can cover the panels and allow ice to form on the weather seal. Also avoid mounting the door where it will be misted with water. Humidity on the weather seal can cause the panels to freeze to the frame.

A: The Extra Large PlexiDor will accommodate dogs up to 220 pounds. It is designed for breeds such as St. Bernards, Newfoundlands, Irish Wolfhounds, and Great Danes. If you are uncertain, make the cardboard test. Cut out the opening size - 16" by 23 3/4" in a piece of cardboard, and see if your dog can pass through. The top of the opening should be just above the dog's back, so they don't have to crouch to go in and out. The bottom of the door is normally mounted between 12" and 14" from the floor. Dogs this size put dog doors to the test, especially if they like to run through the door. The PlexiDor is constructed to stand up to the power of a 220 pound dog hitting it at full speed. Many dog owners who have tried other doors for their giant breed complain about torn flaps and warped frames. Some even say the dog has torn the pet door right out of the household door. The PlexiDor XL is designed to avoid all these problems. In addition, the panels are lined with a chew-proof trim that will stand up to chewing efforts from strong jaws. Flap doors this size are usually too heavy for smaller pets to open. The PlexiDor opens so easily that a smaller pet can use even the Extra Large model. The smaller dog or cat usually figures out how to open one panel, and will go through one half of the door. Some very large breeds are also able to use the PlexiDor Electronic, but the opening is smaller - 12 5/8" x 19 5/8" - so it's extra important to make the cardboard test. For instance, some male Irish Wolfhounds are able to use it, but larger individuals are not.