While most homeowners wouldn’t trade their dog for the world, having a furry family member means dealing with some inconveniences. A daily one: getting up to open the door every time your pup wants to go out. A dog door minimizes that hassle.
But people often hesitate to add one because they don’t want warmed or cooled air escaping, or they’ve heard stories about intruders getting in. TOH general contractor Tom Silva knows a little something about this. His then 90-year-old mother once wriggled through the family shar-pei’s dog door when she got locked out of his brother Dickie’s house. “She told us she just crawled in, no problem,” he recalls. The story might have been good for a laugh, but it also illustrates how a dog door can leave your home exposed.
TOH PRO TIP
TOM SILVA
General Contractor
“While they both require cutting a precise hole, putting a dog door in an exterior door is a lot easier than mounting one on a wall. With a door you don’t have to worry about pipes, wiring, structure, and how to flash the siding from the outside.”
Luckily, today’s dog doors have gotten better at keeping the outside out, with weather-resistant flaps and sensor controls. Here’s what to consider when choosing one for your own home.
GET THE RIGHT FIT
This story is from the Fall 2021 edition of This Old House Magazine.
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This story is from the Fall 2021 edition of This Old House Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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