How to insulate a screened in porch?

[torinsmom]

I have a 10x14 screened in porch on the back of my house. It is screen on 3 sides, with deck-like rails up to above waist height. I would like to make it warmer for my dog, who is outside most days. Does anyone have ideas on how to do this economically?

 

[golfgal]

Around here a lot of people will make cover screen porches with heavy plastic. You can just use a staple gun and cover all of the open/screened areas with plastic. Get an electric staple gun if you are going to do that. If you have good storage space you can make frames that fit the openings of the screens and make "storm windows" out of the plastic that you can reuse. The plastic will at least keep the wind out. You could also get one of those igloo dog houses and put that up there with some blankets.

 

[torinsmom]

My crazy dog will not get IN a dog house. I just gave one away that we'd had for his whole life and I don't think he had ever done more than stuck his head in it. For the longest after I got the porch put on, he wouldn't even go in there except to eat. It would be pouring rain and he would be UNDER the porch, with water running over his feet. Now, he will go in the porch when its cold or wet. I think I will look into the plastic. I've also seen heated dog beds, but I don't really like the thought of him lying down wet on something electric.

We live in NC, so it doesn't get REALLY cold here. Usually we have a few days that don't get out of the 20's, but more often it is 30's-40's at the coldest. He comes in at night, and sometimes by the time the sun sets if its a really cold day.

Marsha

 

[golfgal]

Would he go into a kennel? You could put plastic on the outside of a kennel, leaving the door unwrapped for air-point the door away from where the wind comes?

 

[torinsmom]

Would he go into a kennel? You could put plastic on the outside of a kennel, leaving the door unwrapped for air-point the door away from where the wind comes?

Nope, that dog just hates enclosed places. He has never used a kennel. He is a bigger dog, so I just use a leash when he needs to go to the vet.

Marsha