Insulation of the doghouse with infrared film. How to insulate a dog house: insulation requirements

Many cynologists believe that a dog needs an insulated kennel only if it belongs to a short-haired or smooth-haired breed. Furrier animals are able to endure cold winters. A thick undercoat provides warmth to a four-legged friend.

This article will describe different methods how to prepare a booth for a dog for a cold period.

The main stages of warming the kennel

Many are wondering how to insulate a dog house for the winter. Do not forget that our four-legged friends also need good care and comfortable living conditions. Let's look at how and how to insulate a dog house for the winter. Instructions and a detailed description of the process will help us in this important matter.

First of all, you should start working from the inside. For this purpose, a material protecting from the cold is laid under the outer layer of the skin. It is hidden with plywood or lining.

The inner lining must fit snugly against the insulation. At the same time, be careful that he does not crawl out from under it. Otherwise, cold air will enter your pet's home, which is already a danger to the health of the dog.

If the ceiling at the kennel has a hinged design, then you will need to lay additional material. If you are new to this business, be sure to read all the information you need, and also look at the drawings that explain in detail how to insulate the dog house for the winter. Photos of such structures show that there is nothing complicated in the process of their creation.

Roof sheathing is made of two or three layers. Metal, plastic or bitumen is perfect for roofing. Protecting the booth from the cold is complex and is carried out using different materials.

What is the structure made from?

How to insulate a dog house for the winter with maximum efficiency? Usually the gasket is placed in all parts of the kennel. Used for floors, roofs and walls different materials, based on their characteristics, as well as positive and negative sides.

How to properly insulate a dog house for the winter and what material to use depends on the location of the kennel and the personal choice of the dog owner, as well as how often the dog sits in his house.

Commonly used:

• Mineral wool. Great for insulating rooms. However, over time, the material goes astray and loses its original characteristics.
• Penoplex are lamellar plates that do not let moisture through and perfectly protect against freezing in winter. However, when this material is installed, a large number of seams that do not prevent the cold and require additional insulation.
• Glass wool. This material has many advantages. The disadvantages include the presence of the smallest particles of fiberglass, which irritate the skin of the hands during installation work. There is also a risk that the fragments will fall into the lungs or eyes of a person and a dog.
• Polyurethane foam is a modern insulation that is applied by spraying. He has no cons. It does not pose a health hazard, does not burn, is not subject to deformation and does not rot.

We build on our own

Many are wondering how to insulate a dog house for the winter with their own hands. After all, you want to make your pet a good home, where he will feel comfortable and safe. He will tell you in detail how to insulate a booth for a dog for the winter, instructions. Photos and drawings will show the whole process in detail.

The dog kennel is small in size, so gaps between materials should not be allowed. Even the smallest gap will nullify all your efforts. How to insulate a dog house for the winter so that gaps do not form?

The selected material is fixed on the roof and inner walls of the booth. The installation method varies. Felt is usually nailed. Styrofoam and foam plastic are screwed with screws or glued. The thermal insulation layer should be sheathed with plywood, OSB board or clapboard. The floor of the kennel is sprinkled with hay or sawdust. They should be kept dry. Such materials do not let the cold through. Periodically, they will have to be shaken up and changed. So that the entrance of the kennel, which is open, does not release heat, it can be closed with a special curtain. It should close the hole with a margin.

How to install a curtain for a booth

The main purpose of the curtain is to maintain the optimum temperature in the kennel in the winter. The material from which the curtain is made should protect the booth from drafts. For this purpose, the following are used:

• Tarpaulin. It is distinguished by density. In the manufacture of this material is covered with a special mixture that prevents fire. The main advantage of tarpaulin is its elasticity. Therefore, the tension of the curtain can be easily adjusted depending on the size of the entrance.
• Felt on an artificial basis perfectly retains heat. It can be easily cut. At the same time, the edges of this material do not crumble, so they do not need to be processed.

The curtain should completely close the entrance and not prevent the dog from getting in and out. The material must be labeled correctly. Determine the size you need and add allowances: 5 cm on the sides and 10 cm on the bottom. To prevent the dog from accidentally tearing off the curtain during sudden movements, it should be fixed to the top of the entrance with a wooden plank. The curtain is installed using self-tapping screws.

Insulation of the kennel with polyurethane foam

This material does not pose a danger to human and pet health, it is resistant to moisture. It is one of the best thermal insulators. Differs in affordable cost. It is attached to the inner surface of the booth. Usually flexible polyurethane foam is used. This is due to the openness of its structure and increased moisture absorption. Therefore, it is not used outside.

Polyurethane foam with a rigid structure is suitable for fastening from the outside of the kennel. In principle, this is the best solution when protecting dog house by cold. The material is non-toxic, since its basis is plastic. It can be purchased in both liquid and solid form. The liquid material is applied by spraying, while the solid material is in the form of slabs.

The plates are large and not suitable for insulation. We advise you to resort to the use of a liquid form, the main advantages of which include:

• filling all cracks and gaps;
• protection of the kennel from mold fungi and decay;
• ensuring isolation from noise;
• long service life (over 30 years).

Insulation of the booth with foam

As a rule, foam plastic is used to insulate a doghouse, the thickness of which is 50 mm. It is resistant to moisture. The material is attached to the walls and ceiling inside. All the gaps formed can be filled with mounting foam from the outside and inside.

Mandatory sheathing of foam plastic should be carried out using plywood, OSB boards, and other materials. Otherwise, the sheets will crumble from the constant contact of the dog's body with the walls of the booth. In addition, the animal can scratch the material with teeth and claws.

Minus insulation through foam

In a hot period, such a booth will become a real steam room for a dog. After all, it is hermetically sealed and prevents the flow of fresh air.

A hinged lid saves the situation. This allows you to make a draft and somewhat improve the situation. But when designing a kennel, a removable insulation must be provided. Penoplex should be installed so that it can be removed during the hot period.

We use hay

How to insulate a dog house for the winter with hay? This is a rather old method. Outside, the kennel is upholstered with burlap, but not tightly, but so that it lies freely. Straw is placed in the resulting holes. The booth takes a round shape and becomes soft. Straw is also placed inside, in which the dog makes a nest.

Protecting the kennel from the cold with straw is undesirable, as fleas can start in it, causing inconvenience to the dog.

The main types of electric heaters

How to insulate a dog house for the winter with electricity? This can help:

• Panel based heaters. Metal structures are in a metal case. Their thickness is no more than 2 cm, which allows a compact arrangement in the booth. They are attached to the casing with self-tapping screws.
• Film based systems. This is a special thermal film that heats the booth with infrared radiation. It is installed under the lining of the kennel.

• If you decide to install electric heater under the dog house, then they must fill the floor with a solution. The screed is made on foam. The dog does not like to lie on concrete, so either lay a shield made of wood.
• When installing a heating film on the side walls, it should be covered with plywood.

Advantages of electric kennel heating

This type of insulation has many positive aspects:

• On frosty days, an electric heater will create optimal conditions for a four-legged friend.
• The kennel will be dry, which will prevent the appearance of molds.
• Humid air exhaled by the dog will not turn into condensate and will not settle as frost on the walls of the booth.
• The heater does not consume much electricity - only 100 W/m².

Cons of heating with electricity

Electric heaters also have their negative sides:

• The pet is always active. In case of poor protection of the electrical wire, the dog can gnaw through it and die.

• Don't forget about moisture. Film-based electric heaters are protected by a bitumen sticker. But if moisture constantly settles on their surface, then they are a danger to the life of the pet. If you insulate the booth with your own hands, then protect the device from moisture. Water gets into the booth from snow, which the dog brings on its paws and wool. Also, snow is blown by the wind if there is no curtain, or if it lets air through.

There is an alternative

For a long time, many cannot decide how and with what to insulate a dog house for the winter. Should you protect the kennel from the cold yourself at all? After all, such warming does not always guarantee optimal conditions for the pet and requires certain knowledge from the owner. In the cold season, it is better to keep the dog at home or buy a ready-made kennel for her, which is designed for very low temperatures.

Such booths have a well-thought-out design and are made using modern insulating materials. A kennel of this type will bring comfort to the dog on the coldest days.

Pet owners usually decide in favor of their pets whether they need warm housing. They are serious about the problem of how to insulate a dog house for the winter, they know how to create normal conditions for wintering pets.

Regardless of the breed, the pet needs to find a place on the estate, from where the house, the gate, and most of the yard will be visible. The watchman needs to see the protected area.

The dog house should not be located in the wind, under the open sun, the entrance should not be flooded with rain, covered with snow. Nearby you can not place buildings for animals or birds - dogs are sensitive to smells.

The pet should like the chosen place. If he likes to lie, climbing higher, they arrange a dwelling with a flat roof and set it on a hill.

Design, dimensions

In windy cold weather, the dog, huddled in the far corner of the booth, is warmed by its warmth. In summer, when the shelter becomes stuffy, he prefers to survey the surroundings, leaning out or sitting on the roof of the booth.

Therefore, it is advisable to arrange a dwelling from two departments. The first is a remote windward place behind the internal partition, where the dog will sleep in winter. The second is an entrance vestibule open to the outside, so that in summer it can hide from the heat, fall apart, stretching out its paws.

Given these considerations, the dimensions of an adult animal determine the internal dimensions of the dog house. The height is set according to the growth of the dog at the withers, adding 15 cm, the depth - along its length from the withers to the ends of the paws in the prone position, plus 15 cm.

The width of the bedroom is determined by the length from the nose to the root of the tail, adding 15 cm, the entrance vestibule - adding another 10. The height of the entrance is arranged according to the growth of the animal at the withers, subtracting 5 cm, the width - by the size of the chest plus 5 cm. body, it will be comfortable when living.

Reducing heat loss

Heat loss will be much less if the booth is built without gaps, a tarpaulin or felt curtain is installed above the inlet. For convenience, the canopy is cut into strips in height, fastened above the manhole with a bar. The size should be sufficient to block the entrance on the sides and bottom. Additional comfort is created by a piece of felt or a wrinkle-resistant bedding on the floor.

Such priority warming of the booth for the dog significantly reduces its heat loss and is sufficient for thick-haired breeds.

Short-haired dogs can winter in a booth if the structures do not allow heat to pass through. Therefore, to reduce heat transfer, they are provided with an insulating material (insulation).

Types of thermal insulation

General requirements:

• high insulating properties - heat transfer through the material should be minimal;
• environmental safety - no dust formation, emission of harmful substances;
• fire resistance;
• biological stability - inedibility for rodents, moths; resistance to mold, fungus, microorganisms;
• durability, ability to retain shape, ease of use.

Sheet felt - made from sheep wool, is a unique insulation used in many industries, construction.

The material breathes, does not support combustion - it goes out if it is set on fire. It has low thermal conductivity, low weight, keeps its shape well, does not gain moisture. Microorganisms, fungi, mold do not start in it. Produced in roll form, convenient for work. These properties make it one of the best to insulate a dog house. In application, an inexpensive analogue, technical felt, is also quite good.

Before starting work, measurements are made of the internal surfaces of the house, including the floor and ceiling. According to the obtained dimensions, patterns are made with scissors or a knife. Felt sheets are fastened with capped nails. Reflective foil is additionally placed under the felt for better heat retention. On the side walls, the floor is sometimes covered with board or plywood so that the insulation lasts a long time.

Mineral wool - artificial fibrous materials with high thermal insulation properties. In terms of thermal characteristics, they are at the level of foam plastic. They have high fire and biological resistance.

The main disadvantage of most of these heaters is the presence of fine glass in the composition of wool, which requires good surface insulation on both sides. They are characterized by increased fragility, danger during work. Violation of the skin is fraught with danger to the pet.

Polyfoam exists in two modifications: molded and extruded polystyrene foam ( tradename penoplex). Both can be used for warming the booth. The first is brittle, combustible, absorbs moisture. It is used as a heater laid in the cavity, covered with waterproofing. To avoid damage, the foam is covered with plywood or board sheathing.

The second is a durable, moisture-resistant, non-flammable, dense material. Due to its low thermal conductivity, it practically does not transmit heat.

When insulating an existing large-sized booth from the inside without dismantling it, only by removing the roof, it is better to use expanded polystyrene. It comes in solid, lightweight, conveniently sized plates that won't significantly reduce living space.

With new construction, any of the materials will do. Each structural element of the dog house is made and insulated separately.

Foamed polyethylene (trade name - penofol) - rolled two-layer material for thermal insulation, equipped with one or two layers of foil. The standard thickness is 2-10 mm, the reflectance is over 90%. Unlike analogues, it does not accumulate, but reflects thermal radiation. Moisture-resistant material, non-flammable, easy to use, resistant to weather conditions, aggressive environment. They perform insulation both inside and outside, followed by cladding.

Hay. Warming with hay is quite simple. Before the cold weather, a cover made of tarpaulin or burlap is fixed on the outside of the dog house. Hay is stuffed around the cover, which serves as a heater. If snow falls from the sides - it does not matter. Laying hay inside is not practical - replacing it with a fixed roof covered with a cover will be a problem. It is more rational to put felt on the floor. Before melting, the snow is discarded, the cover is removed.

Liquid insulation. It is made on the basis of water or varnish. Supplied in bottles. It has a pasty consistency, due to which it is easily sprayed, applied with a brush. It has good adhesion to any material. The product is non-flammable, does not emit hazardous substances, has a low cost, is easy to apply. Several of its layers on the structures increase the temperature in the premises by 2-4 °C.

Warming

When the existing structure is insulated from the inside, all its internal dimensions will be reduced, which will create inconvenience for the pet due to tightness. In addition, work inside is difficult - it is preferable to produce insulation from the outside.

They start from the bottom, for which the roof is removed, the dog house is turned over. The bottom is cleaned of dirt, treated with an antiseptic, covered with roofing material. Having decided how to insulate, wooden blocks of the required height are stuffed around the perimeter and in the middle of the bottom as a log.

According to the size of the resulting nests, thermal insulation and a layer of roofing material are cut and laid. They complete the work on the bottom with a boardwalk with antiseptic treatment.

Insulation of all side walls, roofs is carried out according to the stated sequence. For insulation, felt, polystyrene, expanded polystyrene, foamed polyethylene and other materials are used.

The height of the bars stuffed for laying the selected insulation is set according to its thickness. Waterproofing is carried out using roofing material, glassine, polyethylene film, and other film materials. The outer skin is made of plywood, profiled sheet, board and other materials.

Important! Insulation work should be accompanied by smoothing out sharp corners, burrs, protrusions, and eliminating cracks on the floor so that the pet does not get a splinter or break a claw.

Electric heating

They are used when the possibilities of insulating materials have been exhausted. They are used instead of warming, when they consider it inappropriate, if you need a quick result during a cold snap.

To apply heating, an electric line is connected to the booth, a waterproof socket is installed.

Important! The laying of electrical cables across the territory is carried out secretly in polyethylene pipes low pressure or in metal with a wall thickness of more than 2 mm.

All purchased heaters operate in the infrared range, which is beneficial for the animal. They do not create excessive heat, consume a small amount of electricity, are silent, do not burn oxygen, and are reliable in service.

Types of heaters:

• Panel

It is produced in the form of a heating plate 2 cm thick. The heating temperature is up to 50 °C. It is fastened with ordinary self-tapping screws, the installation site is a wall. Has a temperature controller. For insurance, a protective metal mesh is installed on top.

• Film

It is produced in the form of a heating roll, the heating temperature is up to 60 °C. The radiation does not harm the dog, because it corresponds to the natural radiation of the body. Mounted inside the wall dog house on a substrate of a reflective screen and a layer mineral wool. Be sure to cover the inner lining.

• Flexible

Represents the most modern type of heater. Made as a hanging rug 50 cm wide, can be up to several meters long. It is hung on the wall of a dog's dwelling, protected from mechanical damage by a grate. Simple constructively, durable in operation, harmless to the health of the pet.

• Warm floor

Installed under the floor boards. The heating element is made in the form of a thin plastic plate. Complete with thermostat and temperature sensor. It is protected from moisture ingress by a film. It heats the floor boards within 40 ° C without overheating and causing damage to the health of the pet.

• Homemade

They may differ in design, principle of operation. Must not create a risk of fire, electric shock, overheating of the animal. Must comply with electrical installation regulations.

Summary

How to insulate a doghouse, everyone decides on their own, based on its internal dimensions, available materials, and financial capabilities.

Important! No matter how insulated the dwelling is, in severe frosts the dog must be treated like a human being and invited into the house.

The yard dog is constantly on the street. His health, activity and appearance very dependent on conditions. Maintaining the vitality of a pet in the cold season is possible only with the proper organization of the temperature regime inside the kennel. We will consider simple and affordable options for how to insulate a dog house for the winter with your own hands, and also offer the most effective and economical solutions for additional heating of an aviary.

Do I need to insulate the dog house for the winter

Many owners of four-legged pets think about whether the dog is cold in the booth in winter. There is no single answer to the question - it all depends on climatic features region and dog breed.

Cynologists agree that long-haired, wire-haired and short-haired dogs with a thick undercoat can withstand frosts down to -40 ° C. Some breeds, such as the Husky, the Leonberg, the Moscow Watchdog and the Bernese Mountain Dog, prefer to sleep in the snow and stay outside even with the onset of cold weather.

Warm house for a dog

However, whether a dog freezes in a booth in winter depends not only on the breed, but also on the conditions in which the pet grew up. If earlier he lived in an apartment, then it will be difficult for him to spend the winter in a kennel without insulation. In a warm room, dogs shed more and lose their warming undercoat. It is necessary to gradually adapt the animal's body to new living conditions.

If the region is dominated by cold winters with long periods of "minus" temperatures, then it is better not to risk the pet's health and equip warm booth for a dog.

The need for thermal insulation of the dog house

Compliance with a number of rules will help create an insulated kennel and reduce the heat loss of the structure:

1. The entrance to the pet's home is best located in a place where the likelihood of drafts is minimal.
2. For the construction of walls, it is desirable to use wood - the material has a low thermal conductivity.
3. The dog house must not be placed on bare ground. The structure must be placed on bricks or wooden beams. The air layer will protect the bottom from freezing.
4. A draft for dogs is worse than frost. Therefore, the manhole must be curtained with a dense canopy. The material should be dense and weighted so as not to sway in the wind.
5. It is important to maintain the optimal size. The dog will be able to heat a compact booth with his breath. However, in a building that is too close, the movement of the animal will be limited.

Calculation of the optimal size of a dog kennel

In the winter booth, it is necessary to exclude leaks - eliminate all cracks on the roof and take care of the waterproofing of the roof even before insulation.

How to insulate a dog house with your own hands

The thermal insulation of the dog kennel is carried out according to the standard technology for warming the living quarters. The method of mounting the insulation depends on the type of construction of the booth: collapsible or solid.

Wall insulation - material selection and instructions

The walls of the collapsible model can be covered with a heat insulator from the inside or outside. If during the construction of a one-piece booth you do not take care of insulation in advance, then the only option for improving the microclimate is the outer skin.

The most popular "internal" heaters for the dog house:

1. Mineral wool. The weak side of the insulation is susceptibility to moisture and low strength. Before sheathing the booth with mineral wool, it is necessary to cover the walls with film waterproofing. From above, the insulation must be covered with a sheet of OSB or plywood so that the dog, while playing, does not destroy the insulation.
2. Felt is a natural, breathable, safe and affordable material. To insulate a dog house with felt, you will need ordinary nails with hats. The heat insulator does not need additional finishing.
3. Roll heaters. Foamed polyethylene, polyethylene foam or penofol are fixed without crates.

To insulate the dog house from the outside, you will need polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam or polystyrene foam.

Styrofoam insulation technology for a dog house:

1. From wooden blocks, fill the crate around the perimeter of the kennel.
2. Cut foam. The canvases should be 5-10 mm wider than the prepared cells - this will ensure a tight fixation.
3. Install the heater in the frame.
4. Cover the styrofoam with polyethylene. The protective layer will protect against drafts, and the insulation - from getting wet.
5. Perform board finishing. You should not postpone work, as the foam is susceptible to UV rays and moisture.

Insulation of a doghouse with polyurethane foam is rather an additional, rather than the main method. Foam is perfect for "blowing out" slots and holes from the outside of the structure.

Floor insulation options

Arranging a warm floor in a dog house involves laying insulation and bedding. Often the owners use only bedding material. This option is acceptable in warm regions, provided that the building is raised above the ground.

The procedure for warming the bottom and floor with your own hands:

1. Turn the kennel upside down and treat with antiseptic impregnation to prevent the appearance of rot.
2. Close the bottom with roofing felt.
3. Turn the booth over and line the floor with glassine. Lay the insulating material with an overlap, forming sides around the perimeter with a height of about 10 cm.
4. Before installing the insulation, it is desirable to install logs from the bars.
5. Put mineral wool, penofol, polystyrene foam or other heat insulator into the cells.
6. Fill boards or OSB boards as a finishing floor.

Floor insulation with mounting foam

Be sure to lay a litter on top. There are many options for laying a dog in a booth in winter to ensure warmth and dryness.

Hay and straw. The easiest method is to put hay in the dog house. Such bedding will have to be shaken and changed weekly, otherwise the hay begins to cake and become damp.

Use of straw bedding

Mattresses and fabric bedding. On a warm blanket or pillow, you can sew a removable cover that can be washed. The bedding is made from natural, dense fabrics - optimally from wool. The disadvantage of the warming method is the need for frequent drying.

It is better to choose sawdust for a dog in a booth from cedar or pine. The material is soft, absorbs moisture well and repels fleas. It is possible to carry out partial replacement of sawdust.

The use of a heated mat in a dog house requires a 220V power supply. Heating temperature is regulated in the range of 30-70 °C. Beddings are produced from moisture resistant fabric or PVC film.

Heated mat is more suitable for pets

Warming and insulation of the entrance

The final stage of warming is the closing of the manhole. It is the entrance that is the main source of heat leakage. Without high-quality protection of this structural element, all previous actions are meaningless.

How to close the entrance to the doghouse for the winter? To solve this issue, curtains and curtains made of tarpaulin, rubber and thick woven materials are usually used.

For self-manufacturing curtains under the manhole you will need:

• piece of dense fabric (worn-out flannelette blanket, felt);
• wooden rail;
• nails or screws;
• scissors;
• a hammer.

Tarpaulin strip curtain

Sequencing:

1. From the fabric cut out two identical elements of a rectangular shape. The length of each cut should be equal to the length of the inlet plus 5 cm, and the width should be equal to the height of the manhole.
2. Fasten the first piece of fabric, folded in half along the length, onto a wooden rail. The ends of the cut should be at the edge of the crossbar.
3. In a similar way, fix the second part of the entrance with an overlap at the junction with the mating half of 4 cm.
4. Using self-tapping screws, fasten the rail with a double curtain to the top of the manhole, connect the ends of the canopy with the opposite sides of the entrance. To reduce the likelihood of cracks, it is better to nail the curtain on the sides through a wooden lath.
5. Hanging doors should be made heavier by sewing a two-layer edging from the bottom soft tissue. Insert valves will close the formed gap between the curtain and the threshold, providing insulation.

Homemade curtain from a warm blanket

To improve the windproof and thermal insulation qualities of the canopy, four can be used instead of two layers of fabric. An alternative way to increase the effectiveness of the curtain is to install weights. It can be a steel bar or a set of metal plates sewn into the bottom edge of the product.

Among ready-made solutions for insulation, silicone blinds with a thickness of 0.5-1 mm have proven themselves well. The material is not afraid of cold, does not tan in the cold and is unpretentious in operation. The curtain elements are easily bent, opening the passage inside. An additional plus is the affordable cost of a silicone canopy.

Silicone canopy

Heating of the dog house

Heaters that provide high-quality and safe heating for a doghouse must meet a number of requirements: quiet operation, durability, low-temperature mode and heating efficiency. To a certain extent, panel heaters, film thermal insulation and cable underfloor heating have the declared parameters.

Panel heater

The most popular and easy-to-implement DIY heating method is installing a panel heater. Electric infrared panels allow you to maintain optimal temperature indicators inside the dog's home without special expenses for electricity and insulation.

Distinctive features applications of a panel heater in a dog kennel:

• noiselessness of work;
• compactness of the equipment - the standard thickness of the heating model is 2 cm;
• the heating temperature is not more than +50 ° С - due to moderate heating, air is not “burned” and there is no need to close the device with a protective wooden grate;
• ease of installation - the panel is fixed to the surface with self-tapping screws;
• resistance to a humid environment - degree of protection against moisture IP66;
• the presence of fire-fighting characteristics allows the heater to be operated around the clock without monitoring the kennel.

Heating panel for heating the booth

An infrared heater for warming a dog house operates on the principle of thermal radiation - objects are first heated, which in turn transfer heat to the air.

High-tech models are equipped with a thermostat placed inside a protective metal box with a lock.

Film thermal insulation

Infrared film is an ultra-thin heater, the operation of which is based on the radiation of infrared waves. The heating element evenly distributes heat, preventing overheating of the animal.

A low-temperature film heater, regardless of the manufacturer, consists of three elements:

1. Heating element - converts electrical energy into thermal.
2. Foil - promotes uniform distribution of heat over the entire surface to be covered.
3. Laminated double-sided PET film - provides insulation and protects the internal components of the system from mechanical damage.

A warm booth for a dog with heating from IR film has a number of advantages:

• economical consumption of electricity;
• "healthy heating" - the length of the infrared radiation of the film coincides with the wavelengths emitted by animals, which increases immune functions animal body;
• high level of heat transfer - due to the uniform distribution of energy there are no "cold zones";
• heating foil for dog kennels does not change the humidity of the air.

Infrared film for ceiling or wall mounting

The main disadvantages of the systems: the high cost of insulation and the complexity of installation. The installation technology provides for covering the film heater with a protective coating.

The entire installation process with your own hands can be divided into several stages:

1. Surface preparation. It is necessary to level the wall - this is an important condition for uniform heating and uninterrupted operation. It is advisable to insulate the surface before installing the IR film in order to reduce heat loss.
2. Film preparation. Perform material cutting. The incision is made strictly along the marked lines. Subsequently, the sites will be connected into a single "warm carpet".
3. Installation of a film heat insulator:

• plan the layout, taking into account that the copper busbars are directed to the rough surface;
• remove 1 cm of insulation from the supply wires and put on the terminal;
• attach the films with adhesive tape to the wall, connect and crimp the contacts with pliers;
• close the joints of the wires with insulation.

Joining individual sheets of IR film

After installing the thermostat and temperature sensor, cover the walls with plasterboard or OSB boards.

Cable underfloor heating

An interesting option for creating a heater with your own hands is laying heating cables.

Ready-made purchased system "warm floor"

To create a home-made heating and insulation system, you need to prepare:

• thick plywood;
• wooden bars;
• thermostat;
• heating wire (power 80 W);
• silicone sealant;
• steel wire;
• scotch;
• sand.

An example of a cable underfloor heating

Of the tools useful: electric jigsaw, drill, screws, nails and a hammer.

Assembly technology "warm floor":

1. Seal all joints between the bottom of the frame and the bars with adhesive tape.
2. Cover the box with sand and check the operation of the system.
3. At a positive result- cover the box with a plywood lid.

The "warm floor" system is connected in late autumn

Place the finished structure in the dog's dwelling, connect the cable and lay a rug for the pet.

Alternative heating

In search of an alternative way of heating and warming with their own hands, some owners resort to bold, but not always effective methods:

1. Heating the dog house with a light bulb. The heating IR lamp is able to raise the temperature to the desired level. However, the animal runs the risk of overheating or getting burned on a hot device. The minimum distance from the lamp to the dog should be 50 cm, but this is difficult to achieve with standard kennel dimensions.
2. Autonomous booth heater. As a rule, devices run on batteries. Some models are heating pads with a filler that retains heat for a long time. In order for the heater to work and accumulate heat, it is preheated. A battery-powered heating pad can be used in a dog house as an addition to the main heating system.

If you wish, you can do the insulation and organize the heating of your beloved pet’s booth with your own hands, spending a minimum of money on work. Technology various methods quite simple and implemented within one or two days.

Very often, a dog is a family guard who lives on the street and serves all year round. There are all sorts of frosts, and even shaggy dog additional heating may be required. How to insulate in the winter with your own hands so that she is not afraid of any cold - we will soon find out!

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Choosing a heater

Most breeders agree that it is still necessary to insulate your dog's home. Even despite the fact that part of the heat will always leave through the hole in the booth, an insulated house is better. Only some breeds of dogs are not afraid of winter and frost at all, these are northern Huskies, Malamutes and shaggy Caucasians. But if a short-haired guard lives in your house, such as Doberman says, then he must make a warm house.

When choosing a heater for your dog's booth, the main condition is safety and non-toxicity. Remember that the dog's nose is a hypersensitive organ, so he may refuse to enter a house that is insulated, but smells strongly for him.

The most common materials for warming a doghouse are:

1. Wood shavings or sawdust. The safest and most environmentally friendly material. Sawdust is simply poured into the space between the walls of the booth. The downside is that the wood material is exposed to moisture and settles quickly. Therefore, literally in a year you can observe a situation where your insulation sags significantly.
2. Styrofoam. Ambiguous material for warming a dog house. Someone talks about its harmfulness, someone about safety, but our houses are insulated with it quite actively. Its advantage is that it does not rot and is not afraid of moisture. In any case, when insulating with foam plastic with your own hands, remember that it must be reliably insulated and protected from the paws of the dog. She is unlikely to understand his purpose and can simply scratch.
3. Mineral wool. Also material with questionable safety for dogs. However, its thermal insulation performance is very good. When insulated with mineral wool, just like polystyrene, it must be securely “hidden” in the inter-wall space. Because of this, the thickness of the walls of the booth can turn out to be very large, which is not always good.
4. Penoplex. This is a relatively new thermal insulation material, considered non-toxic, good option protection of the dog house in winter. It is produced in the form of plates of various thicknesses.
5. Felt. It is considered almost an ideal option for a dog house. The walls and the roof of the booth are simply upholstered with felt from the inside. At the same time, the procedure for warming with felt with your own hands will take a minimum of time and will be safe for your pet.
6. Roll heater. It is also quite convenient, and it allows you to make the temperature in the booth higher with a thickness of the heating layer of only a few millimeters.

Warm up!

In addition to the fact that the owner chooses the option of insulation at his discretion, he still has to think about how to cover the manhole through which the lion's share of heat escapes. To do this, you need to make a curtain from felt, tarpaulin or other dense protective fabric (even from an old thin rug). The curtain is attached with self-tapping screws and a wooden plank, while it is cut into equal strips so that the dog can go inside the house. Some owners advise making an attached vestibule to the booth with their own hands, so most of the heat can be kept inside the home.

Remember that you need to insulate everything: the floor, walls, roof.

Hay or sawdust can be laid on the floor of the booth; such bedding is regularly changed. Someone lays rags or rugs on the floor, but remember that the animal does not always understand the purpose of the rug and can simply tear it apart. It is better to replace the rug with burlap or coarse cloth stretched over a wooden frame.

In addition, any insulation must be securely protected from the inside of the booth. To do this, the interior of the booth is sheathed with clapboard, plywood, chipboard and OSB with their own hands.

And how to make the floor of the booth warmer with ordinary hay will tell the video below!

Insulation of a doghouse with felt

Let us consider in more detail the option of how to insulate the house of your four-legged guard with artificial felt.

Tools and materials

1. Roll of artificial felt.
2. Sharp knife.
3. Nails with wide caps.

Step-by-step instruction

Note that do-it-yourself insulation of the booth with felt is the easiest and cheapest option. In addition, felt, as we have already noted, is considered safe for your pet and you can not “hide” it from the dog.

So, in order to insulate the booth with felt, you need:

1. Cut the felt into pieces equal in size to the walls with a sharp clerical knife.
2. Attach pieces of felt to the walls with wide-head nails. You can also upholster the inside of the roof and floor.
3. Felt does not have to be sheathed on top with wood or plywood. By the way, felt protects well from wind and moisture.

Don't forget to put a warm rug on the floor!

Warming with mineral wool

Warming the booth with mineral wool with your own hands is a more time-consuming process than the previous option. However, it should, in theory, provide higher thermal insulation if everything is done correctly.

Tools and materials

1. Mineral wool;
2. Wooden bars;
3. Knife, nails, stapler;
4. Vapor barrier;
5. Plywood, chipboard or OSB.

Step-by-step instruction

1. First, the roof is removed from the booth, and its walls are closed with a vapor barrier, which is attached with a stapler.
2. Further, a crate of bars is stuffed onto all the walls.
3. With a knife, "mats" of cotton wool are cut to the size of the crate and inserted into it.
4. Next, the cotton wool is again covered with a layer of vapor barrier.
5. This entire “sandwich” is tightly sheathed with wood, plywood, chipboard or OSB from above so that the dog cannot break the insulation structure.

As a result, the walls, insulated with mineral wool, are quite thick. By a similar principle, you can make insulation and foam. A rug on the floor will make your home more comfortable.

Can heaters be used?

A modern booth may well be equipped electric heating and even a heated mat if you can provide a power source. At the same time, no insulation can be compared with constant heating, which also ensures dryness in the dog house.

You can choose the following types of heaters for your pet's booth:

1. Panel heater. It looks like a metal panel 2 cm wide. It is attached to any wall of the booth with self-tapping screws and provides heating up to 45-50 degrees. It is advisable to hide the heater under the inner lining of the booth.
2. Film heater. This type of heating works on the basis of infrared radiation and heats up to 60 degrees. The film heater is very thin, mounted under the skin, and its infrared radiation is as close as possible to the natural radiation of the dog's body. It can be placed under the floor and put a rug on top.

There are craftsmen who can make a heater with their own hands. For example, like this: an ordinary incandescent light bulb is placed in a tin can, as in a lampshade. This lampshade, in turn, is laid in an asbestos-cement pipe. This design should warm up your dog well.

Video "How to insulate a booth for a dog"

Videos from useful tips Find out more about how to keep your pet's kennel warm!

If you decide dog kennel and insulate it, it is better to use environmentally friendly materials, such as wood. In this case, you can even refuse additional insulation - inside a small kennel, even the air will be heated by breathing, and its wooden ones will be able to keep this heat, especially if the hole in the booth is covered with a special curtain. The hole must be made small so that the dog crawls into the booth on its belly.

But in the case when plywood is used, you can build a booth with insulation. In this capacity, sawdust or dry wood shavings, artificial felt or foam are used. New building tile materials, such as foam plastic, as well as mineral wool, are also perfect for insulation.

If plywood is used for the inner sheathing, bead all corner joints with a semi-circular plastic glazing bead to prevent it from delamination from moisture.

Pay Special attention so that the dog's apartment is not blown through, there are no cracks and through gaps between the joints. Make a frame under the outer skin of the kennel and put a heater inside it. Plywood, oriented strand board OSB, eurolining, etc. can be used as inner lining, but fiberboard and chipboard are not suitable for this purpose, since they do not belong to environmentally friendly materials.

What else can you do to insulate a dog kennel?

To insulate the floor in a doghouse, you can use pine, spruce or cedar shavings with a layer of at least 10 cm thick. The dog will be warm and at the same time get rid of fleas, they do not like the coniferous smell.

You can insulate the booth, to which you can connect the electrical network, with the help of panel or film heaters. Thin infrared panels that heat up to 45-50 ° C must be fixed on self-tapping screws inside the booth or mounted under the casing, leading the wire to the nearest outlet. Thermal film, also operating in the infrared range, is mounted under the inner lining of the kennel.