Double Hung vs. Casement Windows: Which Is Right for Your Home?

Double hung and casement windows open in completely different ways, and both can be a good fit in Northeast Ohio homes. The right answer usually doesn’t come down to which window is “better.” It comes down to the room, the opening, the look of your house, and how you plan to use the window every day. This guide compares the two side by side so you can decide window by window.

How Each Window Works

Double hung windows have two sashes that slide up and down inside the frame. You can open the bottom sash, the top sash, or both. On most modern double hung windows, including Empire’s Fusion^® and Mezzo^® lines, the sashes also tilt in so you can clean the outside glass from inside the house.

Casement windows are hinged on one side and swing outward like a door. You open and close them with a crank at the bottom of the frame. When opened, the whole sash moves out of the opening, so nothing blocks the view or the airflow. Empire’s casements can be ordered with the crank on the left or right, depending on the room’s layout.

That difference in how they open drives almost every other difference between them: how tightly they seal, how much air they let in, where they fit, and how they look on the house.

Double Hung vs. Casement Windows Comparison

Energy Efficiency and Air Sealing

This is where casements have a clear advantage. Natural Resources Canada, the Canadian government’s energy agency, notes that hinged windows like casements and awnings are more airtight than windows that slide. The reason is the seal. When a casement closes, the sash presses directly against the frame, squeezing a compression seal tight all the way around. A double hung sash has to slide past its weatherstripping to open and close, so the seal can’t be squeezed the same way.

That said, a well-built, well-installed double hung window is still a big improvement over older, worn windows. Both styles can also be built with high-performance glass. Empire’s Fusion^® and Mezzo^® double hung windows are ENERGY STAR certified, and its casements can be ordered with ClimaTech^® insulated glass packages, which combine low-E coatings, argon gas, and warm-edge spacers.

Before choosing on air sealing alone, keep two things in mind:

1. Glass is the biggest efficiency decision. The U.S. Department of Energy says that for most windows, the choice of glazing is the most important energy-efficiency decision. Air sealing differences show up at the edges of the sash.
2. Installation matters for both. A casement with a gap around its frame will leak more than a well-installed double hung. Our guide to cold air coming through closed windows explains why.

To compare specific products, check whether the NFRC label lists an air leakage rating. Lower numbers mean less air gets through.

Ventilation, Cleaning, and Everyday Use

• Airflow. A casement opens almost its entire glass area, and the open sash sticks out from the wall, where it can catch breezes moving along the side of the house. A double hung window can only open about half its area at once, since one sash always overlaps the other. It does have one trick of its own: opening the top and bottom sashes a few inches each lets warm air escape at the top while cooler air comes in at the bottom.
• Reach. A crank is easier to operate than lifting a sash when you’re leaning over a counter or a kitchen sink. That makes a casement a practical choice over a kitchen sink, even in a house that otherwise has double hung windows.
• Cleaning. Both are easy to clean from inside. Double hung sashes tilt in. A casement sash swings open wide enough to reach the outside of the glass from indoors.
• Window air conditioners. If you rely on a window AC unit in a room without central air, a double hung window is the practical choice. A standard window unit sits in the opening under a raised sash, which a casement can’t do.
• Screens. Double hung windows have the screen on the outside. Casements have it on the inside, since the sash swings out. Some people prefer an inside screen because it’s protected from the weather. Others find it gets in the way of the crank.
• Kids and pets. With a double hung window, you can open just the top sash for fresh air while keeping the bottom closed. Empire’s double hung windows are available with child safety locks.

Safety and Escape Openings in Bedrooms

Bedroom windows do more than let in light. Under the International Residential Code, which Ohio’s residential building code is based on, every sleeping room needs at least one emergency escape opening. For a window, that generally means:

• A net clear opening of at least 5.7 square feet (5 square feet for ground-floor openings)
• At least 24 inches of clear height and 20 inches of clear width
• A sill no more than 44 inches above the floor

This is where the two styles differ most. A casement opens almost its full width and height, so a fairly modest casement can meet the clear opening requirement. A double hung window only opens about half its height, so it needs a taller overall window to provide the same clear opening.

Replacement windows in existing openings are generally treated differently than new construction. The code includes an exception for replacement windows that meet certain conditions, such as being the largest standard size that fits the existing opening and being the same style as the old window or a style with an equal or larger opening. Switching a bedroom from double hung to casement is one way homeowners can increase the clear opening without enlarging the wall opening.

Matching the Window to Your Home’s Style

Windows are one of the most visible parts of a house, so the style should fit the architecture.

• Double hung windows are the traditional choice for colonials, bungalows, Cape Cods, and many of the older homes found throughout Cleveland and Akron. The horizontal line where the two sashes meet is part of the classic look. If the rest of your house has double hung windows, keeping that style on the street-facing side usually looks most consistent.
• Casement windows fit Tudor-style homes, ranches, mid-century houses, and contemporary designs, where a single uninterrupted pane of glass suits the look. Empire’s casements have a slim frame profile, which lets more glass show and can also work in older homes with narrow window openings.

Grille patterns can help either style match your home. Both are available with options like colonial and prairie grilles.

If you live in a historic district

The City of Cleveland has 29 locally designated historic districts. Inside them, the Cleveland Landmarks Commission reviews window replacements, since windows count as exterior work. Changing a window’s style or how it opens on a main facade may need full design review. Suburbs may have their own review rules, so check with your city before switching styles on the front of a historic home.

Which Window Fits Which Room?

You don’t have to pick one style for the whole house

One approach is to use double hung windows on the street-facing side for a consistent look and casements in the kitchen or other spots where reach and airflow matter more. For more on awning windows, see our casement & awning windows page. If you’re also considering sliders, see Double Hung vs. Sliding Windows.