Do you have a back door that stays open in summer?
Are your kids going in and out all day long leaving the backdoor open?
Is your cat or dog an indoor-outdoor pet that wants to go out every 5 minutes?
Well, you are not alone, believe me. If you have kids and/or pets you know how many times a day the backdoor opens and lets the cool air out and brings the warm air in. Or on a cold winter day lets the warm air out and the cold air in.
I know firsthand that an open door can have a huge effect on your electric bill. When my cat was little, she was an indoor only cat. But the older she got my husband felt bad for her being cooped up all day inside. So, he took her out on a leash and then later on she was allowed to go outside by herself. That was the time we had to think of something to keep the airconditioned cold air in and the very hot Florida air out. In the cooler months, which were usual back then we could use one of those mosquito net curtains to let her go back in and out. But the hot summer months did not work with those curtains, as they did nothing to stop the cold air getting out.
My husband even put in a cat door next to the window, but our kitty refuses to use it. So, I started searching the internet for a solution and found an insulated thermal curtain. I read tons of reviews and most of them were very favorable. With nothing to lose, I ordered the RELIANCER Magnetic Thermal Insulated Door Curtain on Amazon for about $22.00. You cannot go wrong with that price. A Screen door would have cost a lot of money and as my cat does not like cat doors, would have been useless.
Shipping was fast and the package had everything we needed to install that curtain. We had to install it inside, as our backdoor opens to the outside. But I prefer that anyways, as it is more protected from the weather. There was the curtain that had Velcro around the outside and magnets closing in the middle. Then you got Velcro that you stick to your frame, as well as small nails you can use to secure the curtain.
We tried the Velcro first and that did not work for us, as our cat is a little wild one and bolts through the curtain without any thought. I think it took a day until the curtain was about to fall off. So, we decided to use the nails to secure the Velcro. That held up a little longer, but she still managed to tear out some nails. Unfortunately, that got somewhat dangerous to her, as there were now very sharp nails lying on the floor.
So, we went to plan B. We took the Velcor off the frame and screwed in small wood screws that kept the curtain nice and tight. The only two screws that do not really hold are the bottom ones, as I have an outside cat that tries to get in and always tears out the bottom ones. Other than that, the screws are the way to go. Now measurements are a little tricky and we had to go with a 40″ x 83″. The width is fine, but it is a little long. Although I don’t mind that, as the outside cat needs a little more time to try to get through the extra material on the floor and I can intercept him.
Next question was, does it keep the heat out and the cold in? That is a big yes, it does. The design is made in a way that it reflects and disperses the sunlight. That actually helps to keep the heat out. It also helps to keep the nice cold air-conditioned air inside. Just today I was outside feeding the cats and my cat came out and I could feel the nice cold air hitting me when she opened the curtain. This really helps to keep the air-conditioning unit from running more than it needs to.
The curtain does let in plenty of light. Much better than the mosquito net curtain we had before. If it is too much, especially when the sun is lower in the fall, then I have a small curtain inside to block the sun.
Now there is one more important question – does it hold up to repeated use? How long does it last? I can say from my experience that it does hold up quite a long time. And it is used by myself and my husband each day – watering flowers and feeding stray cats several times a day. The curtain magnets are quite good, and it closes really well. Maybe it is just my imagination, but I think they put in even stronger magnets, which I really like.
It also holds up to kitty claws for quite some time. And yes, my cat, as well as the outside cat that wants to get in, both use their sharp nails on the curtain. As time goes on, we find little holes in the material and the curtain does wear out eventually with the repeated use of kitty claws. But with everyday use we got more than 1.5 years out of it. This last curtain had a hole torn from the repeated scratching of the kitties, and our cat used it to go easily in and out instead of using the middle of the curtain. And then the construction workers were not very gentle with the curtain and gave it the rest.
But if you don’t have cats and dogs that use their claws then this curtain will last much longer.
We did try a different insulated curtain in-between, but that was not a very good choice. First, they only had 39″ and when it got here it was 38″, so it was very tight. It was also much thinner than the 0.15mm of the RELIANCER insulated thermal curtain. It did not really keep the heat out very well or the cold in and it was a darker color, which did not let in much light. And most importantly, it did not hold up very long to the kitty claws. The cats were able to cut through the material with ease and after repeated taping up the holes we decided to go back to our trusted curtain.
I hope this review has helped you if you are looking for an insulated thermal curtain. So, check out the RELIANCER Magnetic Thermal Insulated Door Curtain and let me know what you think.