Installing a screen door for your pet might seem a little bit unusual. However, a pet door in a screen door makes sense when you realize how often you'll be opening and closing the door to let Rover in and out. There are several different options, depending on how you want to install your pet screen door, the style you're looking for, and your budget. Here's some basic information to help.
If you're ready to replace your old screen door, consider getting one that already has a pre-installed pet door. Storm doors for pets can be purchased as a single unit, making the inclusion of a pet screen door easy. There are three major types – a standard screen only door, a "vent glass" door, which has two sliding glass top sections and a pet door at the bottom, and an all glass pet storm door. This last door has an all screen panel and an all glass panel, which may be used interchangeably or simultaneously. In all cases, a pet screen door is mounted at the bottom, and can be covered with glass or another type of pet panel when the weather gets rough. This type of door costs between four hundred and five hundred dollars in most cases, and offers adjustable framing.
If the cost of a specialty screen pet door is too high, or you want to install your pet door in an existing screen door, there are other options. If your door is all screen, and you want to cut though it to install the pet door, screen mounts are useful. They also work to allow you to install a pet door in the wall of a screened porch. You can purchase a self-framing door to mount in a hole in your existing screen door for less than the cost of a specialty screen door. Costs vary from around twenty dollars for a small, inexpensive door for cats, to around a hundred and fifty for a very sturdy screen mount door for a large dog.
A third method is the "instant" screen pet door. These are just a low cost hanging screen, with a slit down the middle. These doors install using tension rods, are heavy enough not to flap in the wind, and close behind you using magnets. They're very effective if screen doors aren't permitted where you live, or if you only want to have the door up part of the time. These doors usually cost thirty to fifty dollars, and are great for pets and humans alike. They're not good for areas that have high winds, however, as these can destroy the screen.
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