Window Replacement 101: Single-Hung vs. Double-Hung Windows

Dallas window replacement is a big investment that can change everything from your home’s energy efficiency to aesthetics to noise reduction. You want to choose the windows that are best-suited to meet your household goals, but there’s a lot of new terminology to sift through. What on earth is a single-hung window and how does it compare to a double-hung window? How do you know which one is better for your home?

At ZINTEX Remodeling Group, we don’t gatekeep the information that can help you make an informed choice about your home improvement projects. Today, we’re going to clear up one of the most common questions we get from our window replacement customers: what is the difference between single-hung windows vs. double-hung windows? Read on to find out:

• What a single-hung window is

• What a double-hung window is
• Single-hung vs. double-hung windows: pros, cons, and best uses
• Signs you should get single-hung windows
• Signs you should get double-hung windows

What Is a Single Hung Window?

Picture a standard, functional window that you’d find in any home. It has two separate frames with their own set of panes (usually one or two, although there are triple-pane windows in the mix). The bottom half moves up and down while the top stays in place, right?

This is a single-hung window, and the top and bottom components are called sashes. In other words, a single-hung window has two sashes, one above the other, and only the bottom sash can be unlocked and slid upwards to open or downwards to close.

What Is a Double Hung Window?

Now, picture that same configuration of sashes that we described above. Just like with a single-hung window, you’ve got one sash above the other. In fact, from a distance, single-hung windows and double-hung windows look the same. What’s the difference?

The difference is that with a double-hung window, the bottom sash can move upwards and the upper sash can move downwards. This seemingly small difference in operational style has a big impact on everything from cost to ease of use.

Single Hung vs. Double Hung Windows: Pros, Cons, and Best Uses

Now that you understand the basic differences between single and double-hung windows, let’s get into the details. We’ll break down which window performs best in the categories that matter to homeowners most.

Which Window Is Best for Ventilation?

Double-hung windows are better than single-hung windows for home ventilation. By opening both the top and bottom sash, you can pull cooler air through the lower opening while pushing hot air (which rises) out of the upper opening.

In optimal weather, this can be a great way to air out your home and achieve a comfortable indoor temperature without the use of your AC. For example, if you want to cool down your DFW home during the fall and spring but you don’t want to run your AC for three quarters of the year, you may prefer double-hung windows.

Which Window Provides the Best Energy Efficiency?

Double-hung windows may provide better ventilation, but single-hung windows are considered the better choice for energy efficiency. While they may not be as good at creating natural temperature control, single-hung windows have fewer moving parts which tends to mean they have a better seal.

Why does a better seal matter? When you do need to rely on your HVAC system to create a comfortable indoor temperature, you want to keep as much of that warm or cool air inside. A better seal keeps more of your conditioned air in and more of that outside air out, allowing for more efficient home heating and cooling.

Which Window Is More Affordable?

Single-hung windows are more affordable than double-hung windows. The cost of any window is going to reflect a variety of factors, including things like frame material and size.

That said, a double-hung window typically costs at least $100 more per window for materials and $150 more per window for installation. The price difference increases more when you want double-hung windows that reduce some of the common double-hung window problems, like the seal issues we mentioned earlier.

Which Window Is Easier to Clean?

Most of the time, double-hung windows are easier to clean, specifically if the sashes are attached to tilt latches. Tilt latches allow you to tilt both sashes inward so that you can easily reach (and clean) the outer pane from the comfort of indoors.

If this is the feature you’re most interested in, make sure you talk to your design consultant about it. Not all double-hung windows come equipped with tilt latches, meaning that you’d have to clean them much like you’d clean single-hung windows: from the outside.

Which Window Is Easier to Open and Close?

Single-hung windows are easier to open and close than double-hung windows. All you need to do is lift or lower the bottom sash using the lift rail along the bottom edge of the pane.

The bottom sash of a double-hung window can open and close the same way as a single-hung window. In fact, many people end up using double-hung windows like single-hung windows, never lowering the upper sash. To open and close the lower sash, you’ll similarly pull down or push up on a lift rail, which is located on the upper half of the sash. If the window is heavy or tall, you may find closing the upper sash difficult.

Because single-hung windows are easier to open and close, they’re also considered more secure. Fewer operational components mean fewer places where parts can break or lose their seal.

Top Reasons to Get Single Hung Windows

You should consider single-hung windows if:

✅You’re trying to keep window replacement costs low without sacrificing functionality

✅Your goal is to improve energy efficiency in the summer and winter by reducing heating and cooling loss

✅You want ease of use and fewer operational mechanisms to deal with

Top Reasons to Get Double Hung Windows

You should consider double-hung windows if:

✅You want to improve natural ventilation in your home for more comfortable indoor temperatures in milder seasons

✅You want an easy way to clean both sides of windows that aren’t on the first floor of your home

✅You’re worried about pets or small children around open windows and want the option of only lowering the upper sash

Learn More About ZINTEX Window Replacement in DFW

If you’re thinking about replacing windows in Dallas, a great place to start is by learning some of the jargon you’re bound to encounter along the way. The question of double-hung vs. single-hung windows is one that every homeowner will have to decide during the window replacement process. With this guide, you’re one step closer to landing on the perfect windows for your home.

You may know ZINTEX Remodeling Group as a bathroom remodeling company, but did you know that we also do window replacement in the DFW area? Learn more about our DFW window replacement services today.