Air leakage tests and thermal imaging were conducted on the Freedom Pet Pass and the “World’s Best Selling Pet Door”. The temperature and air leakage test conditions were identical for the dog doors tested. Ambient air was 65.7° F and test pressure was +50Pa.
The Freedom Pet Pass dog door did not have any detectable air leakage while performing the air leakage test, and the multi- layer of SBR rubber and two layers of marine grade canvas with a total R-value of approximately of 0.35 did provide a decent thermal barrier.
The “Worlds Best Selling Pet Door” had significant air leakage while performing the air leakage test and the single layer of plastic with an approximate R-value of .25 did not provide a good thermal barrier.
Preliminary Test Results
Air leakage tests and thermal imaging were conducted on the Freedom Pet Pass, and the “Worlds Best Selling Pet Door”. The temperature and air leakage test conditions were identical for the dog doors tested. Ambient air was 65.7o F and test pressure was +50pa.
The Freedom Pet Pass dog door did not have any detectable air leakage while performing the air leakage test, and the multi- layer of SBR rubber and two layers of marine grade canvas with a total R-value of approximately of 0.35 did provide a decent thermal barrier. The “Worlds Best Selling Pet Door” had significant air leakage while performing the air leakage test and the single layer of plastic with an approximate R-value of 0.25 did not provide a good thermal barrier.
The preliminary test results indicate that the Freedom Pet Pass out preformed the competitive “Worlds Best Selling Pet Door” in air leakage test.
The main goals of air leakage control are to:
♦ Save energy.
♦ Increase comfort.
♦ Protect insulation’s thermal integrity.
♦ Reduce direct cooling or heating of people and building components by outdoor air.
♦ Avoid moisture migration into building cavities.
♦ Reduce vermin’s access to indoors.
♦ Reduce flow of air pollution from external sources.
♦ Reduce rainwater leakage.
♦ Enhance fire safety.
The energy savings through infiltration when comparing the Freedom Pet Pass to the “Worlds Best Selling Pet Door”; the unique magnetic seal of the Freedom Pet Pass design reduces the infiltration by 190% when compared to the “Worlds Best Selling Pet Door”. Air leakage in buildings represents from 5% to 40% of the space-conditioning costs. Controlling air leakage is one of the most important functions.
The Freedom Pet Pass pet flap multi- layer design incorporating SBR rubber and two layers of marine grade canvas with a total R-value of approximately of 0.35 did provide a decent thermal barrier. The Freedom Pet Pass design reduces the thermal loses by 25-30% when compared to the “Worlds Best Selling Pet Door”.
Some dog door manufactures make claims that a double movable flap provides additional R-value due to a dead air space between the door flaps. When you talk about “two flaps” being more effective than one flap by creating dead air space, there are many factors to consider. In the case of a pet door, heat will be lost or gained anytime the door is used. How well the door is sealed will affect how much air infiltrates around the edges while it is closed, and how well-insulated the pet flap is will affect how much heat is transferred by conduction through the door. How fast the wind is blowing, the temperature difference between warm and cool areas, and the frequency of use will impact how fast heat is transferred as well. If you have a pet that prefers to stand or lay in the doorway keeping it open, you are back to a “hole in the wall” regardless of how well it works when closed. Testing indicates that due to the air leakage around the flaps of a double flap pet door; a dead air space is not truly created and therefore additional R-value cannot be substantiated.
Doesn’t appear to be much of a difference… Why not compare against a double flap?
Looking at the thermal IR image, there doesn’t appear to be much of a difference, and this is compared to a single flap door. I realize this page was supposed to compel me to buy the Freedom door, (which I was actually sold on…) but I think this page just made me question how big the advantage really is over other competitors.
If you aren’t comparing this door against a double flap door, then those results must not be that compelling. Comparing your door to a single flap is just setting up a game you can’t lose (and didn’t win by that much…) You say claims of double flap doors can not be substantiated, yet you had the tools to do so! Hmmmmmm…
Our product has one flap that swings both in and out; therefore we consider our pet flap as a single flap design. We do however employ a one way magnetically engineered flap jam. This is what makes our flap seal tight. Most other pet door manufacturers use some sort of brush lined wipers that have a known linear air leakage rate applied to these products. While double flap dog doors (i.e. two flaps that swing both in and out) may sound like a better barrier, the test results suggest if one pet flap is leaking air, then it follows that the second pet flap will as well.
Even if our pet flap is configured to a two flap design (which we could build), we know when both flaps are in the closed position without air leaking we might slightly increase the overall R value, but the R value becomes null and void every time your pet passes through the pet flap. Dead-air space between two flaps cannot be achieved (like the dead-air space in a double paned window) because the air is constantly being exchanged and circulated when pets pass through this type of pet flap system. Therefore, there is no increase in energy savings to be gained, no matter how many flaps you put on a pet door.
The thermal imaging part of our test may not convince all readers of our energy efficient prowess. However, the difference between .35 of our product and the .25 of our competitor’s product is very significant in your energy bill.
Please keep in mind this test examines the thermal barrier itself and if there is air leakage it will also show that. In this test the outside temperature of the doors were exposed to 71.9 degrees, and the inside temperature of the doors was 65.7 degrees for a difference of only 6.2 degrees. This test simulates a house that is cooler on the inside than on the outside and depending on where you live in the country the cost of this energy loss can add up annually to a substantial dollar amount. Please keep in mind that most of us live where the annual temperature variance between the inside and outside of our home can radically fluctuate. We do not sell too many pet doors to Hawaii based on thermal barrier of our flap system. To my knowledge there is no other material made that is thin, flexible and safe for pets to use to produce a greater thermal barrier.
Our claim and point of difference concerning energy efficiency is in the first part of this test (The Air Leakage test). The Air Leakage test simulates an air pressure differential commonly produced by energy efficient homes built today ( sealed properly), with a bathroom or kitchen exhaust fan creating a vacuum on the inside of the home and/or the outside atmospheric pressure difference ie. windy days or approaching storms.
What is compelling is the fact that our product did not have any detectable air leakage. The device used to perform this test is annually certified according to Energy Star standards to qualify homes tested for the energy tax credit. The other pet door product that claims to be energy efficient did leak a substantial amount of air. If you look at the upper right side of the devise on the DG 700 Pressure & Flow Gauge, please note LO as the reading taken by the device while our product was being tested and compare that to the “World’s Best Selling Pet Door”. Notice the number 19 in that window. The number 19 stands for the amount of cubic feet of air leaking past the pet flap per one square foot per minute. If the air temperature is significantly different from the inside and outside of your home this exponentially increases your energy loss. Think of 19 cubic feet of air as the amount of space inside a 19 cubic foot refrigerator/freezer that is leaking air into or out of your home every minute, of every hour, of every day…you get the picture.
There are two other things I would like to add clarity to. First: the product we manufacture is called “Freedom Pet Pass TM”. The “Freedom Door” is a “PetSafe” product and the two should not be confused. Our good name and reputation based on honesty, integrity, and truth in advertising is a great source of pride to us. Second: As far as a game I can’t lose. We have two energy star partners involved, one selling our products and one independently testing our products (yes, we pay for our tests). I invite any other pet door manufacturer to perform their own tests against our pet door, by using test methods recognized by a energy star partner that is certified to validate the claim of an energy efficient product and post their own results. I am also open to any other suggestions or questions you or anyone else may have to help you make a better informed decision.