ᐅ Cat flap in KfW55 house with ventilation – any experiences?

Created on: 23 Mar 2021 09:33
K
KUM_im_Tal
We have a KfW-55 end-terrace house with insulation, triple glazing, and a ventilation system. Now we want to install a cat flap in a glass panel next to the patio door. Has anyone done this before?

- How does this affect the performance of the ventilation system? It won’t be completely airtight anymore.
- How much heat loss can we expect – it’s just a simple plastic flap, after all.
- Is installation even possible with triple glazing that also has RC2 security features?

We would have a professional company do the installation, but we’re not sure if it’s all feasible. I would appreciate hearing about others’ experiences.
H
haydee
23 Mar 2021 11:55
Or windows open. Some acquaintances always keep their window slightly open. They wedge something in between to fix it at an angle. It’s only a matter of time before a person takes advantage of this.
K
KUM_im_Tal
23 Mar 2021 11:57
nordanney schrieb:

That was just an example.

The simple cat flap is actually much worse. It’s always open, so anyone or anything can come in or go out. It’s drafty and not sealed properly. There are other options besides the PetWalk, but all of them are better than a simple cat flap in the house.

The "simple" cat flap nowadays is usually chip-secured and only opens when the cat with the chip wants to go through. And the flap at least has a basic seal.
K
KUM_im_Tal
23 Mar 2021 11:59
haydee schrieb:

Or open the window. Acquaintances always keep their window slightly open. They wedge something in place to fix it at an angle. It’s just a matter of time before a two-legged intruder takes advantage of that.

No, that is not a solution for a KfW55 house with ventilation. In our case, the windows are mostly closed. We don't even need to discuss the issue of burglary security at this point... 😉
M
motorradsilke
23 Mar 2021 13:50
haydee schrieb:

I prefer manual opening. It keeps unwanted surprises out. Birds, snakes, and mice always get inside, and our cats can manage to get in together—even with a chip.

One of our cats always wants to go out around 4 a.m. A cat flap with chip access would be really useful for that.
opalau23 Mar 2021 14:10
We had the Sureflap installed later into a floor-to-ceiling window. The glazier replaced the entire glass unit for this.

It also works with a chip, so it only lets our cat through. I’m not sure if this always works without side effects in practice—so far, the cat hasn’t gone through but has had its humans open the patio door.

I can’t say whether it has a negative impact on our ventilation system or extractor hood. I haven’t noticed any. And whether the poor seal of this tiny flap causes an extra 5 EUR in heating costs per year honestly doesn’t matter much to me. It hasn’t been noticeably cold near the flap even this winter.
H
haydee
23 Mar 2021 14:30
motorradsilke schrieb:

One of our cats always wants to go outside around 4 a.m. A cat flap would be really useful for that.

Honestly, my cats have brought in so much prey, and I at least want to know when I need to search for a mouse. Barefoot on mouse innards and so on.
4 a.m. is quite a common time, I know.