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I have a Pet Patio Door insert for our sliding door that leads to our backyard. It works well for giving our dog Waffles access to the backyard without keeping the sliding door or the screen open. This helps keeps flies out of the house. We use it most afternoons and in the evening when he relieves himself before time to sleep. For the last couple of years, it's been working out very well, but the door finally broke when a bit too much pressure was applied by some visiting kids.
Luckily, the entire pet patio door does not need to be replaced from the door frame. The door flap itself can be replaced, which involves removing only six screws. I ended up purchasing the exact same door from Amazon (item with a 4.6 out of 5 star rating) for around $22 (and next day delivery on a Sunday). Doors can be difference sizes, so make sure you buy the right size. The size you'll need is etched onto the plastic frame.
It requires only a screwdriver and a pair of pliers to help loosen the rod holding the dog door flap to the patio patio door. This process was very simple, definitely DIY. It took less than 10 minutes with the most difficult part being removing the rod. The rod was a bit sticky and required quite a bit of wiggling to free up. Other than that, here are couple of tips for installing the door flap.
- Line up the plastic end pieces that hold the rod to the door frame. They both need to point in the same direction and be horizontal to allow both ends of the door to fit together.
- Before you try putting the screws back into the door, make sure the door fits together outside of the frame. This may save you from frustrations of lining everything up.