Double-hung vs. casement windows
Both styles are common, and both perform well for decades. The better choice depends on the location of the window and how you use it.
The short answer
- A double-hung window has two sashes that slide up and down inside the frame.
- A casement window swings outward on a side hinge and seals tightly when it closes.
- Casements suit locations that are difficult to reach, while double-hung windows suit most older homes.
How do double-hung and casement windows differ?
Double-hung vs. casement windows
| Double-hung | Casement | |
|---|---|---|
| How it opens | Both sashes slide up and down | Swings out with a crank |
| Airflow | Good, from the top and the bottom | Very good: it catches side breezes |
| Cleaning | Easy: the sashes tilt in | Easy from inside |
| Seal when closed | Good, with weatherstripping along both sashes | Excellent, because the sash presses against the frame |
| Screen position | Outside, so both sashes can open inward for cleaning | Inside, because the sash swings toward the outdoors |
| Best for | Traditional homes and most rooms | Hard-to-reach spots, like over a sink |
Double-hung
- How it opens
- Both sashes slide up and down
- Airflow
- Good, from the top and the bottom
- Cleaning
- Easy: the sashes tilt in
- Seal when closed
- Good, with weatherstripping along both sashes
- Screen position
- Outside, so both sashes can open inward for cleaning
- Best for
- Traditional homes and most rooms
Casement
- How it opens
- Swings out with a crank
- Airflow
- Very good: it catches side breezes
- Cleaning
- Easy from inside
- Seal when closed
- Excellent, because the sash presses against the frame
- Screen position
- Inside, because the sash swings toward the outdoors
- Best for
- Hard-to-reach spots, like over a sink
Choose a casement for a location you cannot reach easily, such as above a kitchen sink. Choose double-hung windows to preserve the character of an older home.
Which one fits your home?
Begin with the room and how easily you can reach the window. Then consider how the house looks from the street.
- Above a sink or a counter, a crank operates more easily than a heavy sash.
- Beside a walkway or a deck, an outward sash can block the people walking past.
- In a historic home, double-hung windows usually preserve the original appearance.
Double-hung 
Casement
What do homeowners ask about each style?
Sources
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