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Double-hung window

Both top and bottom sashes slide vertically, and the sashes tilt inward for cleaning from inside the room.

Double-hung window

Drag or press ← → to rotate; Home resets the view

Pick a window or door type, drag or use ← / → to rotate the 3D model, and press the mechanism buttons to see how it opens.

How it opens and how it is built

Two sashes sit one above the other in the frame, and both move. The bottom sash slides up and the top sash slides down along tracks in the sides of the frame, held in place by balances, and the two meet at a rail across the middle of the window. Weatherstripping along the tracks and at the meeting rail closes the gaps, and a sash lock on the rail holds them shut.

Each sash can also tilt inward, so you can wash the outside of the glass from the room. The window stays in the plane of the wall: nothing swings into the room or out over a walkway. In the 3D model above you can check how the sashes slide and tilt.

Why you'd want it

A double-hung window lets you choose where the air comes in: open the bottom for a breeze, the top to let warm air out, or both a little at once. Tilting sashes make an upper-floor window easy to clean from inside, and the window takes no space inside or outside the wall.

A single-hung window looks the same but only its bottom sash moves. A sliding window opens to the side and suits wide, low openings, and a casement swings out on hinges, opens almost the whole sash and closes tighter against its seal.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • You can open the top, the bottom or both, so airing the room is easy to adjust.
  • Both sashes tilt inward, so the outside of the glass is washed from the room.
  • Nothing swings out over a walkway, a patio or a deck.

Cons

  • Only part of the opening opens at a time, never the full height of the window.
  • It has more joints and moving parts than a fixed window, so there are more places for air to pass.
  • The tracks, balances and weatherstripping need cleaning and occasional adjustment to keep sliding smoothly.

It's for you if…

  • You want to air a room from the top in rain or at night while the bottom stays closed.
  • The windows are upstairs and you want to wash the outside of the glass without a ladder.
  • The window looks onto a walkway, a porch or a deck where an outswinging sash would be in the way.
  • You are replacing old double-hung windows and want to keep the look of the house.

Don't overpay if…

  • You never open the top sash: a single-hung window opens the same way at the bottom and is usually simpler.
  • The opening is wide and low: a sliding window fits it without long vertical sashes.
  • The window is only there for light or a view: a picture window has no moving parts at all.
  • You want the tightest seal of an opening window in a windy spot: look at a casement first.

How it affects the price

A double-hung window usually costs more than a single-hung of the same size, because both sashes slide and tilt and each needs its own balances and hardware. It is often close to a sliding window and usually costs less than a casement, whose crank and hinges are a more complex mechanism.

Within the type the size, the frame material, the glass unit and extras such as grilles move the price more than the type itself.

All window types and their impact on the price →

Lifespan and care

Once or twice a year, vacuum the dirt out of the side tracks, wipe them clean and check that the weatherstripping is not torn or flattened. If a sash gets stiff, drops on its own or will not stay up, the balances need adjusting or replacing, which is a small repair rather than a new window. Tilt the sashes in to wash the glass each season, and keep the sash lock tight so the meeting rail stays sealed.

Figures with sources

How many sashes move
Double-hung windows have two sliding sashesSource:Window Types — NFRC Consumer Guide to Windows (Efficient Windows Collaborative)
Which way each sash moves
The top sash can be lowered and the bottom sash can be raisedSource:Window Types — NFRC Consumer Guide to Windows (Efficient Windows Collaborative)
Which family of opening windows it belongs to
the sliding types such as double- and single-hung and horizontal slidingSource:Types and Parts — NFRC Consumer Guide to Windows (Efficient Windows Collaborative)

What it pairs with

A double-hung window works with any glass unit, and a Low-E coating suited to your climate matters more for comfort than the type. The frame material decides how stiff and how warm the sashes are, and the hardware — the balances and the sash lock — decides how smoothly they slide. How the window is set into the old opening decides how well it seals.

Which glass unit to choose →How a window is installed →

Compared with similar types

Frequently asked questions

Can I open a double-hung window all the way?

Not the full height: the two sashes overlap when one of them is moved, so only part of the opening is open at a time. You can choose which part — the top, the bottom or both a little.

How do I clean the outside of the glass from inside?

Unlock the sash, lower or raise it a little and tilt it inward, following the maker's instructions. The outer side of the glass is then facing you, and you tilt the sash back and lock it when you are done.

Why is my double-hung window drafty or stuck?

Most often the weatherstripping is worn, the tracks are dirty or the balances are worn out, and sometimes the frame has shifted in the opening. Cleaning the tracks and replacing the weatherstripping or the balances usually fixes it; a frame that has shifted is a question for the installer.

Is a double-hung window right for a bedroom escape window?

It can be, but only the open part of the window counts as the way out. The rules for bedroom escape windows depend on your local building code, so check them for your area and the size of the opening in the estimate.

Price it for my home