Installing a pet door is a great way to make it easy for your cat and/or dog to go outdoors when he wants to without your having to get up and open the door at his every whim. However, the wrong pet door or an improperly-installed pet door can cause your home to lose energy, making your furnace and air conditioning system have to work harder and costing you additional money on your utility bills.

What to look for in a pet door

When you’re shopping for a pet door, make sure to choose a model with a good seal. Such models not only keep the cooled and heated air indoor where it belongs, but also helps to keep bugs from entering your house. In addition, hard plastic pet doors are better at keeping out the cold air than doors with flexible, soft plastic openings.

Of course, installation is important, also. Leaving gaps around the door allows your cooled and heated air to leak outdoors, causing drafts and costing you money. Make sure to caulk around the opening, just as you would when installing a door for humans to enter.

Installing a pet door with Kaufman’s Home Maintenance

If you’d like help installing your pet door so that it keeps the cold and hot outdoor air at bay, Kaufman’s Home Maintenance can help. We offer a full range of home repair and handyman services, both on a demand basis and as a subscription service. Our home maintenance packages are designed to meet each homeowner’s particular maintenance needs and include such services as washing exterior windows, cleaning out gutters and downspouts, changing furnace filters, installing foundation vents, cleaning heating ducts and installing pet doors. To learn more about Kaufman’s Home Maintenance Service, call 503-798-4357 or visitKaufmanHelp.com to schedule an appointment.