Finding the Right Window Style

If you live in an older home in Denver, your windows may be out of date and ready for replacement.  When you make a big investment on replacing the windows throughout your home, one of your main choices is between single hung windows and double hung windows.  We want to take you through each option to help you make an informed decision about which window replacement is right for your wants, and the needs of your home.

What Are Single and Double Hung Windows?

Let’s start off by explained what exactly these styles are.  Single hung windows are your traditional pieces, and if you live in an older home, these are likely what you have.  These windows are usually two parts; one is a stationary piece of glass, and the other is the attribute that actually slides open.  Whether your window opens vertically or horizontally, if only one side opens, you’re looking at a single hung window.

Double hung windows, as you may have already guessed, open from both sides, or from top and bottom.  This type of window is a newer technology, and many homes built in the last few years were constructed originally with this style.  This has become the more popular of the two types of windows.

What’s So Great About These Single and Double Hung Windows?

Both types of windows have big benefits that will affect your decision, so it’s important to know what the best aspects of each window style include.

Let’s start with single hung windows.  One of the biggest benefits of these windows is the lower cost.  With fewer materials used to build these windows comes a smaller bill.  The cost difference is actually becoming less apparent as double hung windows become more popular.  However, sometimes the small cost variance can mean the difference between staying within your budget, and bumping over it.

Another advantage to getting single hung windows replaced in your home is that they are less likely to have leakage problems.  This is due to the fact that single hung windows simply have less moving parts.  The stationary side of the window is close to completely air tight in most cases, making leaks very unlikely.

Double hung windows have their own set of advantages to consider.  While both of these types of windows offer the same amount of open space at one time, double hung styles give you more options as to where the window is actually open.  You can open these windows on the top, bottom, or a combination of both, where single hung windows can only open on one side.

A benefit that you may not think of until spring cleaning comes around is that double hung windows offer easier access for cleaning each surface of the window.  Because each side is operable, you can tilt both pieces inward to clean the outer side easily, which is particularly nice for your windows above ground level.

Each window has its own set of downsides as well.  Single hung windows are more difficult to clean, and it can be a hard task to find manufacturers of replacement single hung windows anymore.  On the other hand, double hung windows are more expensive in most cases, and are more prone to leaks in the future.   If you live in an area with heavy rain and wet seasons, the likelihood of leaks may be a big factor in your decision making.

Installing Single or Double Hung Replacement Windows in Your Home

Scottish Home Improvements can help you make the decision on which style is right for your home.  Replacing windows throughout your home can be a large investment, so you want to have confidence in whichever style you choose.   Contact us today to set up an in home consultation, or just to ask our experts a few questions.