With so many years experience of supplying PlexiDors we have been asked pretty much every question about them. These are the most common questions that we get asked and so hopefully the question you have is included in this list.
If you cannot find the answer to your question then give us a call on 01241 830421 or e-mail support@dogdoors.co.uk
Dog doors and cat doors can look small from a human point of view, but the door opening doesn’t have to be as big as the pet standing upright.
The opening width should be a little wider than the widest part of your cat or dog.
The height should be as tall as from the top of the shoulders to the chest just behind the front legs. The pet will duck their head to push the door open, and lift their legs to go through.
If you have an older pet that has problems lifting their legs, you might want to go up a size.
If you have small and large animals using the same door, you might also want to go up a size, to get the opening close enough to the floor for the little ones to get through.
To make sure you’re getting the right size, cut out the opening size in a piece of cardboard and see if your pet can get through without problems.
Measuring a dog’s height can be quite taxing for both dog and person. Call your dog, and when they’re standing next to you, mark the height of the shoulder by touching your own leg. This way you can measure on yourself. Much easier!
We recommend the “Cardboard Test” to ensure correct size for your pet. Using the OPENING SIZE measurement in the charts, cut a hole in a piece of cardboard, and see if your pet can pass through easily. Or wedge open a house door the OPENING WIDTH, and block off the OPENING HEIGHT (starting just above your pet’s shoulder) and call your pet through. Pets duck their heads as they push open their door and step through it, so ideally you should install the pet door with the top of the opening just above your pet’s shoulder. But any position will do as long as your pet can open the door and get through comfortably.
https://dogdoors.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Size-Guide.jpg
If you have any questions please feel free to call us. 01241 830421
The opening for the pet is smaller than the overall door size, because of the frame. Please see the following:
Pet Door Size Opening for pet (W X H)
Small 165 mm X 184 mm
Medium 229 mm X 305 mm
Large 298 mm X 406 mm
Extra Large 406 mm X 603 mm
Electronic 324 mm X 508 mm
There are a number of reasons why the Plexidor is a better investment than regular pet flaps.
Most pets take to their new cat door or dog door quickly – they want to get to the other side – but others need some training. Many get it in a few seconds, others might take a little longer.
The next stage is best with two people. Start with propping the door open and call for your pet.
Put something they really want on the other side and encourage them through.
Praise any progress. Repeat several times and then close one panel, and do the same. Once they have mastered pushing open the one panel close both panels and do the same again.
Be patient and cheerful. Trying to force your pet through is a sure way to enforce any fear of the door.
Pets are individuals, just like humans. Some cats and dogs will love their new door at first sight, others need a little longer. Keep trying, and remember to give praise – it will help your pet think the door is the best thing ever.
Yes it is very straightforward to fit the PlexidDor into UPVC and in fact is the same as for wooden doors. What needs to be remembered though, is the thickness involved. The PlexiDor is 44.5 mm thick because of the spring mechanism at the top. UPVC doors are usually around half this thickness so there will be an overlap. This needs to be on the inside of your door to retain the weatherproofing. The excess is then finished with beading of your choice to match, such as strips of UPVC.
The PlexiDor can be installed in a sliding patio door, French doors, or even a window.
The PlexiDor will not block any part of the opening. With this system the glass door or window will still work just like the factory intended. The Plexidor can be installed in the exact same thickness of glass you already have.
* Note – The PlexiDor is 44.5mm thick and the thickness of most double glazing is roughly half that thickness. This means that some form of frame will be required around the PlexiDor to complete the installation.
** The process for installing the PlexiDor into glass differs from the process to fit into wood, UPVC etc as the screws will not penetrate the glass. Therefore, anyone considering installing the PlexiDor into glass is strongly advised to view the below YouTube clip. It is also strongly advised that any cutting into is only done once the installer has access to the Plexidor and can then establish how it needs to be affixed to the glass**
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1fZmvHD2WI Copy and paste this link into your browser to see a You Tube video shows of a Canadian glass installer with his own glass conversion kit. These conversion kits are not available in the UK but will provide a useful guide on how the PlexiDor is fitted into glass.
Glass used in doors and windows is toughened. This procedure makes it stronger than regular glass, but it also means any cutting or grinding must be done prior to the toughening process. Thus, the existing pane must be replaced.To install a PlexiDor pet door through glass, an installer will measure the width, height, and thickness of your existing pane. The Plexidor will be mounted in the new pane, which will be installed exactly the same way as the original glass. To make things even better, the old pane can be put back if you were ever to sell your home to someone without a pet, or if you no longer require a pet door.
Under normal weather conditions, the wind cannot blow a PlexiDor open.
The door has a spring that keeps panels closed up to wind speeds of about 30 miles per hour. The spring will not be able to resist against gale force winds hitting the panel head on, so if you’re expecting a storm with strong wind gusts, you may want to lock the PlexiDor and attach the security plate.
Yes, the small PlexiDor intended for cats and small dogs has several settings on the lock.
The door can be set to:
Open from both inside and outside
Be closed from both inside and outside
Open in one direction only
That is, you can set it to allow your pets to come in, but not go out again. Or, allow them to go out, but not come back in.
Cats are able to open the PlexiDor without problems.
The cat door has a small single panel that is easy for a cat to push open. Even the larger doors open so easily that many families have a cat or small dog sharing a door with a very large dog.
The panels swing easily and most cats and small dogs figure out how to use one half of the large or extra large door.
Cats are agile and find a way to get through, but if a large and small dog share the same door, make sure the lower edge of the door is low enough for the smaller dog while keeping the top high enough for the tall dog. Sometimes, the best thing is to go up a door size to accommodate both.
If your pet is the eager kind that runs towards the door at full speed, it’s a good idea to put up a signal stating the door is locked.
No matter which type of door you choose, some pets will run head-first into the door when it’s locked – they don’t know it’s locked. It would be an unpleasant surprise from the pet’s perspective, and cheaper doors might break from the impact.
To avoid this situation, many pet owners put up a ribbon or similar on the door to signal that it is locked. Many PlexiDor owners put the security plate in place to completely remove the temptation of trying to run through.
About every 5 to 8 years the industrial weather seal may need to be replaced. One kit covers all four sides of both panels. The 10-year warranty covers any malfunction of the parts, but not general wear and tear. The springs or lock may need replacing outside of the warranty period. If you do have a problem with a PlexiDor, please contact us as we carry a stock of replacement parts.
For the manual PlexiDor, all keys are the same (for doors manufactured since 2004)*. This is not an issue since the key is used inside the house – the door cannot be unlocked from the outside.
*If you are lucky enough to have owned your PlexiDor since before 2004, the key number is different to the modern models. Back then there were a variety of different key numbers supplied. There should be a little sticker next to the lock inside the frame with the key number. We still have supplies of all of the old keys numbers if you need to get a replacement. If you don’t know the number, then do not worry as we can supply a replacement lock and keys.
The extra large PlexiDor is constructed to withstand daily use by dogs up to 100 kg, and so the panels are different than on the smaller models.
Dogs larger than 100 kg may still be able to use the door – it will depend on their build. Smaller pets can usually open and go through the extra large dog door – the panels swing easily.
Extra large dogs can be tough on equipment just because they’re so big – the impact of a dog this size running through the pet door many times in a day puts a lot of stress on the panels. Thus, this door looks similar to the smaller models, but the panels are designed to be even tougher.
The Extra Large PlexiDor has all the features of the smaller models with weather seal and aluminum frame, but the panels are made from a solid sheet of shatter-resistant acrylic. The panels are lined with a chew proof aluminium trim.
The PlexiDor Extra Large is constructed for dogs up to 220 pounds and will accommodate very large breeds such as Irish Wolfhounds, Great Pyrenees, Newfoundlands, and Great Danes.
Dog doors for pets this size face some unique challenges; a traditional flap door can’t stand up to the power produced by a 100 kg dog hitting it at full speed. Many dog owners who tried to use flap doors ended up with torn flaps, warped frames, and even pet door frames torn right out of the household door.
The PlexiDor XL is constructed to take the beating of very large dogs running in and out all day long – and still opens so easily that a smaller pet can use the same door.
The opening size is 406 mm W X 603 mm H and the door is usually mounted 30 to 36 cm above the floor. The top of the opening should be just above the dog’s back.
