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how to winterize your dog door

How to Save Money In Cold Weather By Winterizing Your In-Glass Dog Door

During the cold winter months, the last thing you want to have to do is get out from under your warm blankets in the early morning to let out the family dog and wait around in the cold while he does his business.

Having a professional come to your home to install a dog door can give your four-legged friend the unfettered access to your yard that he needs.

Perhaps you’ve refrained from having one put in because the doors in your home are made from glass but with professional installation even glass can be fitted with a dog door.

How does one winterize an in-glass dog door?

If you’re not careful your dog door could contribute to expensive energy bills by allowing your home’s heat to seep out during winter months. By making sure all of your doors and windows are always kept clean, free of gaps, well aligned and by replacing your weather strips when needed you can make sure your home is perfectly winterized for optimized insulation during cold weather.

Keep reading for more information on exactly how to winterize your dog door and save money on warming your home.

Line It Up

An air-tight seal all around your doors and windows is the most important factor in the winterization of your home. Keeping your doors and dog flaps well aligned will help keep energy costs low.

When you have you dog door installed, make sure that you know how to make sure the flap remains aligned before your installation professional leaves. If the flap becomes unaligned and you can’t put it back in place, you’ll end up with a break in the air-tight seal needed to keep your home heated.

If your sliding doors are uneven as well, this could also contribute to expensive leaks of your in-home heat, so it’s important to check all of the doors in your home.

Check Your Dog Door for Wear and Tear

You should keep an eye on all of the pieces of your dog door to make sure that they don’t become damaged or worn in ways that could make the door less energy efficient. If the flap becomes bent or warped it may be time to replace it to make sure it isn’t disrupting the seal of the door. The weather strips should also be replaced when showing signs of wear to ensure that they aren’t letting cold air into your home.

Identify Any Cracks

Over time and with regular use gaps can form when seals become worn so it’s important to seal any gaps that might appear. For example, french doors that have a dog door without an airtight seal between the doors because of a worn strip will still drive up the cost of heating your home even if the dog door is well sealed.

Likewise, if your dog door isn’t perfectly sealed while closed for any reason it will allow air in or out which will inevitably drive up your energy bills as your heating system works harder to compensate for the loss of heat caused by an insufficiently sealed dog door.

You can identify cracks by shutting off your heating or cooling system and running your hand or a lit candle along the edges of the door. If you feel a breeze or see a change in the direction of the flame, that could indicate a leak.

Fill in Cracks

Once you have identified all problem areas in your dog door, it’s time to seal them up using a weather sealant or caulk. Apply your sealant of choice to the gaps you want to seal and then using a putty knife wrapped in a thin rag, push the sealant into the crack by dragging the knife along the strip of sealant.

Make sure you get the sealant into corners to ensure a perfectly airtight seal. It’s also a good idea to keep your dog away from the door for a couple of days until its completely dry because weather sealants and caulk can be harmful if swallowed.

Keep Your Dog Door Clean

With use, your dog door is likely to collect dirt, mud, and debris as your furry friend goes in and out to your yard. While this is to be expected, cleaning your dog door regularly with a mild cleaning solution is essential to its upkeep. The buildup of dirt and grime can not only make it more difficult to see when tears occur, but it can also disrupt the air-tight lock that you need for your flap to remain energy-efficient. To prevent this you should regularly clean your dog door’s flap, tracks, and frame to keep dirt and dust from building up.

As long as you make sure that you ask your installation professional about keeping your dog door aligned, make sure you have kept your door clean and stay on top of any needed repairs your dog door should remain perfectly winterized during cold months.

A well-maintained dog door can give your family the peace of mind of knowing your dog is taken care of without the added pressure of letting him out yourself, and allow you to enjoy the beautiful weather while letting your dog do the same.

Imagine enjoying an evening snowfall through your glistening glass doors while your pup bounces outside to run and catch the snowflakes as you look on from within the comfort of your warm and winterized home.

Don’t let the uncertainty of installing in a glass door stop you from enjoying the many benefits of a dog door; getting a free estimate on your installation is as easy as making a phone call or filling out a simple online form.

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Glenn Weadock
Glenn Weadock

Left us a 5 star review

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Glenn Weadock
June 8, 2022

Jason did a very good job and even came back to deal with a touch-up issue. I recommend him highly.

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Jami Radcliff
June 7, 2021

We highly recommend Jason and Through the Glass Dog Doors. Jason offered superior customer service throughout the process. He was informative, prompt, and communicated well from start to finish. We are impressed with the quality of the product and the install. Thanks, Jason!

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Catherine Sandon
June 3, 2021

Very pleased with my dog door! It has good insulation and very pleasing to the eye!

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Keri Roedel
May 24, 2021

Amazing. I am so thankful for the wonderful work that was done. My dog thanks you too.

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Heather Sullivan
April 30, 2021

Jason was response and attentive from start to finish! He replied within 24 hours of my initial inquiry and scheduled an appointment within a week. I had several questions and it's clear he really knows his craft. The door was received within three weeks of our meeting. The day of the installation couldn't have taken more than an hour and it looked beautiful. The only issue we had was the lock on the door cover breaking within a week of installing it. Apparently this is quite rare and Jason immediately said he'd replace it. Overall I found Jason to be compentent, professional, and trustworthy; all qualities that are becoming harder and harder to find.

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Shere Bienemann
April 29, 2021

Jason went above and beyond helping me get my second dog door installed in my new kitchen door- Beautiful job and the dogs and I are so happy w the results!! Only way to make us all happy was "through the glass" !!!

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Gary Thompson
April 19, 2021

Great service!

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Leah Craft
April 18, 2021

We are super pleased with the quality and our dog couldn’t be happier!

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Jordan Love
April 17, 2021

Very friendly and timely service! Door looks amazing and the dogs love it!

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Sarah Medina
April 17, 2021

Through the Glass was fantastic! The scheduling process was easy. They made two visits to my house. The first was the measure. The second was to install. It took no time at all and saves me time every single day. They were super friendly and professional. And, to top it off, the size of the dog door is perfect and the quality is the best I’ve seen. Thanks to Through the Glass, I did not need to create a hole in the house. I am not sure who is happier, my dogs or me?

Great service , On install day the door was on in one hour.Came out better than I had imagined.I would definitely recommend them. I was going to install one myself but man am I glad I called these guys zero stress.

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Laurie Bolan
April 2, 2021

We love our through the glass dog door. Quick and good service.

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Martha Patton
April 1, 2021

Jason was always prompt and explained the process of replacing the glass in our large sliding glass door. The door is western-facing, and we were concerned about the high winds up on the ridge where we are. The door seals tightly and hasn't needed the cover to keep the wind out. We highly recommend this dog door and Through the Glass Dog Door.

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SeaJaye Sillasen
March 27, 2021

Jason with Through the Glass Dog Doors did an outstanding job for us. He was always prompt, polite, courteous and cleaned up after himself. Because our slider door was either not installed properly by the installers years ago or possibly the door along with the house settled/shifted it was not your typical job but with Jason’s experience and know how he was able to dismantle as well as install the new door without too much trouble. The door is beautiful and our pooch loves being able to come and go on her own. We would confidently recommend Jason with Through the Glass Dog Doors for your doggie door needs!

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Verner Shoup
March 27, 2021

Great job! Very efficient! My dog loves it!

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Danielle DeMoss
March 21, 2021

Thank you Jason!!!! We love our door!! Jason was so nice and professional he went above and beyond.

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Matthew Manry
March 19, 2021

Very professional, excellent install in a timely fashion. We are pleased with our purchase!

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Jared Parker
March 13, 2021

Jason was timely, professional, and did an excellent job replacing our sliding glass doors and installing a dog door for our pup. Strongly recommend TGDD to anyone looking for similar work.

Very friendly service, and they were quick and responsive. The dog door is exactly what we were looking for. This is a great company and product.

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david krook
March 8, 2021

Fast and easy.. the door works great for our boy. These guys knocked it out of the park

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Krista Hugenberg
March 7, 2021

Jason and team are super awesome! Very responsive, professional, and courteous! The door itself is very high quality and one of the nicest dog doors I’ve seen. Our pup and his people are very happy.

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Tyler Benson
March 7, 2021

Guy was the bees knees. 10 out of 10.

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Drew Smith
February 27, 2021

Great product and service. Fast and friendly.

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maria iglesias
February 22, 2021

We had an excellent experience with Jason at Through the Glass Dog Doors From the initial estimate, to the door delivery and installation, Jason and his team were professional, respectful of our time, and very efficient and safety conscious. I would highly recommend them to anyone wanting to have a dog door installed.

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Philip Sutton
February 17, 2021

The dog door in our sliding glass door has been a game changer for our pups! These guys were quick, professional, and recommended some extras without doing a hard upsell. Turnaround time was quicker than expected, and the door works great! I definitely recommend their product and service!

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Greg Schneider
February 15, 2021

Installers were very professional and on time. Quality of door was great and works well.

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Karen
February 15, 2021

Jason provided excellent service from my point of contact through completion of my dog door project. Installation was very professionally done, the new door came in sooner than expected and out dog is very happy with the result. I highly recommend this company to anyone. You will not be disappointed!

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SC Green
February 2, 2021

I had a considerable experience with Jason at Through the Glass Dog Doors! He was in constant communication with me through out the process. When he came to my home, he was kind, and considerate of his surroundings. When he was finished with the doggy door he cleaned up and disposed plus extra. Then took his time with me to ask and answer any thoughts or concerns to insure a flawless outcome! The door looks great, seals out all wind, and more importantly my two puppers love it as well! I would highly recommend Jason and Through the Glass Dog Doors!

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Tim Miller
January 29, 2021

Jason was extremely responsive to our inquiry, and delivered the final product not only on time, but it exceeded our expectations. High recommend Jason and his team for your reimagined dog door!

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Samson Blue
January 23, 2021

Amazing door, absolutely no draft when standing right next to it. Keeps the weather out and the heat in. And its amazing beginning able to have the whole sliding glass door back.

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Leslie Gaylord
January 23, 2021

Best investment for our family. She was using the door after 2 days and the quality is better than the door qe started with!

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Joss Hollingworth
January 22, 2021

Jason is very knowledgeable and caring. Would highly recommend. Final product looks clean and we are happy. Far superior to any insert you would get.

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Brooke Sixta
January 19, 2021

We love our new dog door! Service was fast and professional, and the door is great. Our dog took to it within a day and seems to enjoy the freedom. Thank you!

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Adam Bratter
January 18, 2021

Really happy with our new doggy door, and the dogs are too! Excellent customer service and very professional and Covid-safe installation. Our glass arrived 2 weeks earlier than originally quoted and Jason was a breeze to work with! Definitely recommend Through the Glass Dog Doors if you are looking for a high quality and space saving option for your pups.

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Keith Heavilin
January 18, 2021

They installed an excellent product. No cold air coming through, just a dog. Would highly recommend them.

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Gregory Anderson
January 18, 2021

Fantastic! Timely response. Excellent product. I highly recommend Through The Glass!

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Kristen Coleman
January 18, 2021

Awesome experience. It took a couple weeks to get the glass in but absolutely worth the wait and the $. The dog door itself is high quality and I don’t feel the drafts like I did with a single flap door. The dogs and humans are very happy.

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Brandon Linn
January 17, 2021

Quick and easy installation and has made a huge difference in convenience for us and our 3 dogs. Highly recommend!

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Adrienne Pearson
January 17, 2021

We love our new dog door. Installation went well and efficiently. It’s everything we expected.

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Ray Easter
January 16, 2021

Works perfect. Keeps the weather out where it belongs.

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Lisa Khan
January 16, 2021

Very professional install. Well worth the money. Jason was very knowledgeable and nice. The door is way more energy efficient than the old panel insert. Looks gorgeous.

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JGH PCOA
January 16, 2021

Wonderful experience. Very happy with my doggy door that is in glass. It’s double flapped and I don’t feel wind blow through like one I put in in NY. The owner was responsive and dependable. A great experience and worth the money.

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Ashley Mcclure
January 16, 2021

Very professional, quick, honest and helpful. Jason was great to work with and had our new door installed right in the window he quoted. No more drafts coming in the house, dog adjusted quickly to the new door and we are very happy with the product and service.

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Carmen M
December 14, 2020

Great service, great product. We are very happy with our new door.

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Jessica Bauer
December 13, 2020

Jason and his crew are wonderful to work with. Fantastic energy savings with high quality materials and workmanship! Well worth the investment, and professional service. Highly recommended!

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Jeff Penton
December 12, 2020

Very high quality product. Installlation took about 35 min and is was very professional. Jason has a first class organization.

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SuperD Loz
December 12, 2020

They did a great job. The dog is happy and so is the wife.

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Conor Linehan
December 12, 2020

Great job by Jason on our Through the glass dog door. We previously had the standard panel dog door which was terribly energy inefficient and our kitchen was freezing on these cold wintery days. Though it was a tad expensive it’s been totally worth it. I highly recommend Jason and Through the Glass Dog Doors. Exceptional quality and highly professional !! We love our new dog door.!

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agnes bal
December 7, 2020

Jason is amazing and provided impeccable service . Door is high quality and looks very nice . Highly recommend.

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Jim Bean
December 5, 2020

Love our new dog door and the puppies do too!