Frequently Asked Questions

A: The PlexiDor pet doors are designed to fit the thickness of standard US household doors. If your door is thicker or thinner than the PlexiDor frame adjusts for, there are some easy fixes. If the household door is too thin, you can make trim pieces from plywood or some other thin wood to make up the difference. Once the PlexiDor is installed, you usually can't tell the difference. If the household door is too thick, you need to add trim pieces to the "tunnel" through the door to make up the difference in thickness. Start by using a water barrier tape, like roofing tape, around the edge of the installation hole to make sure water won't creep in under the trim piece.  

A: The PlexiDor Electronic is a sturdy pet door that doesn't require a lot of maintenance. Keeping the tracks clean, so the panel can slide up and down, is the most important thing to keep the door in good working order. From time to time, you may also want to clean and lubricate the locking mechanism. This is an easy procedure that will help ensure smooth operation. Start by removing the motor cover at the top of the door. Next, unscrew the Phillips Head screws that secure the upper cover panel. Flex the upper cover panel so you can pull it out of the frame. This allows you to see the panel that moves up and down to open and close the door. The locking rod is behind the panel, right to the left of the strap that lifts the panel. Looking behind the panel, you can see the locking mechanism. If there is dirt or debris, vacuum it out. Then, apply of a drop of 3-in-one oil to the locking rod, just in front of the three brackets, see the red arrows on the instruction. Replace the upper cover panel and motor cover.

A: This page is for Extra Large PlexiDor dog doors manufactured before 2008. If your door is newer, please follow these instructions instead! Some of the parts needed are not included in the spring kits for sale, because they are intended for the newer doors. Suggested tools needed: 6 inch needle-nose vise-grip 5/16" nut driver 1/8" Allen Wrench Remove the interior frame from the house door or wall through unscrewing the four retaining screws and sliding the dog door out of the mounting hole. Remove the spring hoods by unscrewing the hex-head screws and lifting the hood over the rivet head. Remove the pivot screw that holds the bent arm in position, using a 5/16 nut driver. Remove the bent arm and spring. This is a good time to clean the frame. You can use warm water with Dawn to wipe it down. Cleaning it will make it easier to install the new springs, and it will ensure you don't get dirt and grime in the new spring assembly. Once all the parts of the old spring have been removed: Push the new pivot pin into the frame Put nylon tube spacer over the pivot pin Put the spring over the nylon tube spacer Put the metal internal tooth washer on top of the spring Put the new bent arm assembly parts together as pictured below: The spring must be "charged" to close the door panels: Place the spring to the tail that points up slightly is on the bottom When you face the door, the slightly bent spring tail will be in front of the vertical plate on the left spring side. On the right side of the door, the slightly bent spring tail will be behind the vertical plate. Using a pair of small wire gripping pliers, grab the top spring tail, wind it around and hook it over the vertical plate If the new spring is too tall and the vertical plate isn't tall enough to wrap the spring tail around, use a small flat-head screwdriver, place it under the end of the vertical plate, and tap the vertical plate gently upwards with a hammer until you have enough height for the spring Put the new bent arm assembly on top of the spring and tighten with a 1/8 inch Allen wrench. It should be snug, but not over-tightened. Make sure to hold the panel centered while doing this, otherwise the door panels won't center when closing. Apply a coat of good quality grease to the springs. We recommend white lithium grease or marine grease. Do not use WD40. Replace the spring hood and screw it in place. Do not over-tighten. The new spring should not touch the top of the spring hood, if it does, leave the spring hood off. Reinstall the interior frame in the mounting hole and you are done.

A: It isn't difficult to change springs in an Extra Large PlexiDor dog door - just follow these step-by-step instructions. The replacement guide is also included in the spring replacement kit. Important: This page is for doors manufactured after 2008. If your door is manufactured before 2008, please use these instructions instead! Besides the spring kit, you will need: Small wire grip pliers 1/8" Allen Wrench The first step is removing the interior PlexiDor frame from the house door or wall where the pet door has been installed. Unscrew the four retaining screws in the inner frame and slide it out of the hole. Remove the spring hoods by unscrewing the hex-head screws and lifting the hood over the rivet head. Remove the pivot screw that holds the bent arm in position, using a 1/8" Allen wrench. Remove the bent arm and spring. This is a good time to clean the frame. You can use warm water with Dawn to wipe it down. Cleaning it will make it easier to install the new springs, and it will ensure you don't get dirt and grime in the new spring assembly. Once all the parts of the old spring have been removed: Push the new pivot pin into the frame with the notched end on top. Put the gray nylon shoulder washer over the pivot pin, with the wide part on top. Put the nylon tube spacer over the pivot pin. Put the spring on the top of the nylon tube One side of the spring has a tail that points up slightly, and this part should be on the bottom. (As you face the door, the slightly bent spring tail will be in front of the vertical plate on the left spring side. On the right side, the slightly bent spring tail will be behind the vertical plate.) Using  a pair of small wire gripping pliers, grab the top spring tail and wind it around and hook it over the vertical plate. This charges the spring, so it will pull the door closed. Snap the bent arm onto the pivot pin Place the internal tooth washer on top of the bent arm and slide screw down into the pivot pin Hold the pet door panel in the center of the frame and tighten the pivot pin screw. It should be snug, but not overtigthened. Repeat for the other side. You may need to trim the spring tail ends so they extend about 1/16" beyond the vertical plate. Check that the spring tails don't touch anything and hinder the door's operation when the panels are fully opened. The parts come together in this order: When you have made sure the springs are installed right and don't touch anything when the door panels are fully opened, apply a high quality grease to the spring. We use marine grease for longevity. Do not use WD40 as grease - it's a cleaner and not the same thing as grease. Replace the spring hood - don't over-tighten the hood mount screws - and slide the pet door back into its mounting hole. The following video shows the procedure step-by-step.

A: The PlexiDor panels are sturdy and will not require replacement often, but after years of enthusiastic use and maybe even chewing, new panels will help the door look and work like new. The springs must be removed to replace the panels, and this is a good opportunity to replace these as well. Remove the interior frame from the house door or wall. This is easy: just unscrew the four retaining screws in the frame and slide it out. Unscrew and remove the spring hoods and spring assemblies. Instructions are available here. Slide the panel out of the frame. Insert the new panel in the frame, bottom pivot first. Make sure the 0.094 gray nylon thrust washer is in place between the bottom of the panel and the aluminum frame. Replace the spring mechanism. Make sure you follow the instructions, so the springs are charged, or they will not work. Check that the panels open and close like they're supposed to, and put the door back in your house door or wall. Brand new panels with brand new weather seal can seem like an invitation to dogs who like to chew. It's a good idea to smear the edges with "Bitter Apple" - a cream available in most pet stores.  

A: The large PlexiDor dog door has a spring on each side that closes the saloon-style panels once the pet has gone through. It's easy to change the springs, and the spring replacement kit contains these step-by-step instructions. Besides the spring kit, you will need: 3/8 inch nut driver 5/16 nut driver Vise grip/locking pliers Phillips head screwdriver Flathead screwdriver The springs aren't accessible when the door is mounted, so the first step is removing the interior frame from the house door or wall where it has been installed. Just unscrew the four retaining screws in the inner frame and slide it out of the hole. Remove the spring hoods by unscrewing the hex-head screws and lifting the hood over the rivet head. If your door is manufactured before 2008, the new springs may be too tall to fit under the spring hood. If your springs end up touching the top of the spring hood or won't fit, just leave the spring hoods off. If you have any questions, give us a call at 800-749-9609 option 3. One the spring hoods are off, it's time to remove the pivot screw that holds the bent arm in position. Use a 5/16 nut driver and remove the old bent arm and spring. This is a good time to clean the frame. You can use warm water with Dawn to wipe it down. Cleaning it will make it easier to install the new springs, and it will ensure you don't get dirt and grime in the new spring assembly. Once all the parts of the old spring have been removed: Push the new pivot pin into the frame with the notched end on top. Put the gray nylon shoulder washer over the pivot pin, with the wide part on top. Put the nylon tube spacer over the pivot pin. Put the spring on the top of the nylon tube One side of the spring has a tail that points up slightly, and this part should be on the bottom. Using a pair of small wire gripping pliers, grab the top spring tail, wind it around, and hook it over the vertical plate. (As you face the door, the slightly bent spring tail will be in front of the vertical plate on the left spring side. On the right side, the slightly bent spring tail will be behind the vertical plate.) Snap the bent arm onto the pivot pin Place the internal tooth washer on top of the bent arm and slide screw down into the pivot pin Hold the pet door panel in the center of the frame and tighten the pivot pin screw. It should be snug, but not overtigthened. Repeat for the other side. You may need to trim the spring tail ends so they extend about 1/16" beyond the vertical plate. Check that the spring tails don't touch anything and hinder the door's operation when the panels are fully opened. The parts come together in this order: When you have made sure the springs are installed right and don't touch anything when the door panels are fully opened, apply a high quality grease to the spring. We use marine grease for longevity. Do not use WD40 as grease - it's a cleaner and not the same thing as grease. Replace the spring hood - don't over-tighten the hood mount screws - and slide the pet door back into its mounting hole. The following video shows the procedure step-by-step.  

A: The panels in a PlexiDor don't need to be replaced often, but it can happen. The springs that close the panels once a pet has gone through must be removed, and this is a good opportunity to replace these as well. The effort will make your PlexiDor look and feel like new! Start with removing the interior frame from the installation spot in your house door or wall. Unscrew and remove the spring hoods and spring assemblies. Instructions for this can be found here. Slide the panel out of the frame. Insert the new panel in the frame, bottom pivot first. Make sure the 0.092 gray nylon thrust washer is in place between the bottom of the panel and the aluminum frame. Replace the spring mechanism. Make sure you follow the instructions, so the springs are charged, or they will not work. Check that the panels open and close like they're supposed to, and put the door back in your house door or wall. Brand new panels with brand new weather seal can seem like an invitation to dogs who like to chew. It's a good idea to smear the edges with "Bitter Apple" - a cream available in most pet stores.  

A: The PlexiDor springs have a long lifespan, but can break with years and usage. Luckily, it's a cheap fix - you can see the kit with spare parts here - and they are easy to replace. The spring kit comes with instructions. The replacement procedure varies slightly with door size, so you can also find the instructions for your door here: PlexiDor Small PlexiDor Medium PlexiDor Large PlexiDor Extra Large PlexiDor Extra Large manufactured before 2008   You can also watch a video with that shows how to change the springs step by step:

A: The medium PlexiDor dog door has saloon-style panels, and there is a spring on each side. Changing it is easy and the spring replacement kit contains these step-by-step instructions. Besides the spring kit, you will need: Small wire grip pliers 3/8 inch nut driver 5/16 nut driver Phillips head screwdriver Flat head screwdriver To be able to access the springs, you need to remove the pet door's interior frame from the door or wall. Unscrew the four retaining screws and slid it out of the mounting hole. The springs are protected by a spring hood. Unscrew the hex head screws and lift the hood on each side over the rivet head. If your door is manufactured before 2008, the new springs may be too tall to fit under the spring hood. The new springs should not touch the top of the spring hood. If this happens, just leave the spring hood off. The next step is removing the pivot screw that holds the bent arm in position. Use a 5/16 nut driver. Remove the old bent arm and spring. Putting everything back together will be easier if you take a moment to clean the frame. You can use warm water with Dawn to wipe it down. This will also ensure you don't get old dirt in the new spring assembly. Once all the parts of the old spring have been removed: Push the new pivot pin into the frame. The notched end should go on top. Put the gray nylon shoulder washer over the pivot pin. The wide part should go on top. The nylon tube spacer goes over the pivot pin. Put on the dark gray nylon 0.092 thrust washer. Next, put on an opaque white flat nylon washer Put the spring on the top of the nylon tube One side of the spring has a tail that points up slightly. This part should be on the bottom. Take a pair of small wire gripping pliers, grab the top spring end, and wind around and hook it over the vertical plate. Snap the bent arm onto the pivot pin Place the internal tooth washer on top of the bent arm and slide screw down into the pivot pin Hold the pet door panel in the center of the frame and tighten the pivot pin screw. It should be snug, but not overtigthened. Repeat for the other side. You may need to trim the spring tail ends so they extend about 1/16" beyond the vertical plate. Check that the spring tails don't touch anything and hinder the door's operation when the panels are fully opened. The parts come together in this order: When you have made sure the spring is installed right - the door works as it should - apply a high quality grease to the spring. We use marine grease for longevity. Do not use WD40 as grease - it's a cleaner. Replace the spring hood - don't over-tighten the hood mount screws - and slide the pet door back into its mounting hole. The following video shows the procedure step-by-step.

A: The small PlexiDor intended for cats and small dogs has a single panel and only one spring. Changing it is easy and the spring replacement kit contains these step-by-step instructions. Besides the spring kit, you will need: Small wire grip pliers 5/16 nut driver Flat head screwdriver Start with removing the interior frame of the pet door from its installation site through unscrewing the four retaining screws and sliding it out of the mounting hole. Remove the spring hood by unscrewing the hex head screw and lifting the hood off. Now when you can access the spring, remove the pivot screw that holds the bent arm. You will need a 5/16 nut driver. Remove the old bent arm and spring. This is a good time to clean the pet door frame, to make sure you don't get old grime in the new spring. You can for instance wipe it down with warm water and Dawn. Once all the parts of the old spring have been removed: Push a new white tube spacer into the frame. Put the white thruster washer over the tube spacer and push it down to the frame Put the white flat washer over the tube spacer Put the spring on top of the nylon tube One side of the spring has a tail that points up slightly. This part should be on the bottom. Take a pair of small wire gripping pliers, grab the top spring end, and wind around and hook it over the vertical plate. Put on the external tooth washer Snap the bent arm onto the pivot pin screw Place the internal tooth washer on top of the bent arm, and slide the pivot pin screw down through the spring assembly, into the pet door frame Next you need to lock the pet door. Hold the pet door panel in the center of the frame and tighten the pivot pin screw. Do not over-tighten - it should be snug, but not hard. Make sure the panel stays in place and centered as you tighten the screw. You may need to trim the spring tail ends so they extend about 1/16" beyond the vertical plate. Check that the spring tails don't touch anything and hinder the door's operation when the door is fully opened. The parts come together in this order: When you have made sure the spring is installed right - the door works as it should - apply a high quality grease to the spring. We use marine grease for longevity. Do not use WD40 as grease - it's a cleaner. Replace the spring hood - don't over-tighten the hood mount screws - and slide the pet door back into its mounting hole. The following video isn't specifically for the small PlexiDor, but the principle is the same: