Single-Hung vs. Double-Hung Windows: Differences and Cost

The difference is the top sash. Both windows have two sashes stacked one above the other, but in a single-hung window only the bottom sash moves and the top one is fixed, while in a double-hung window both slide: the bottom up and the top down ¹. From the street they look almost the same ¹.

That one difference drives the trade-offs. A double-hung can vent from the top, and its sashes usually tilt in so both sides of the glass can be cleaned from inside; a single-hung has fewer moving parts, fewer places for air to leak, and costs less ^{1 3}. Fixr reports a national average of $500 per single-hung window against $730 for a double-hung ³.

How each one works

A sash is the glass plus the frame around it ¹. In a single-hung window the lower sash slides up to open and the upper sash stays put ¹. In a double-hung window you can open just the bottom, just the top, or both at once ¹. Both open flush with the wall, so neither gets in the way of a deck, patio or walkway the way an outward-swinging casement can ¹.

How to tell which one you have

Unlock the window and try to slide the top sash down. If it moves, the window is a double-hung; if it does not budge, it is most likely a single-hung, since the top sash is fixed ¹. A second clue is cleaning: if the top sash can be tipped into the room, the window is a double-hung with tilt-wash, while Andersen notes its single-hung windows do not tilt in ^{1 2}. On older windows, paint or swelling may hold a double-hung top sash shut, so a stuck sash is not proof on its own; an installer measuring for quotes can confirm which type you have.

Cleaning

Double-hung windows usually win here. With tilt-wash, both the inside and outside of each sash can be cleaned from inside the house, which Andersen makes standard on its double-hung windows ¹. A single-hung has to be cleaned from outside to reach the exterior of the fixed top pane ^{1 3}. On a ground floor that is a small chore; on a second floor it means a ladder.

Ventilation

A double-hung can open at the top and bottom at the same time. Warm air leaves through the top opening while cooler air comes in at the bottom, which Andersen calls circular ventilation and suggests for rooms with only one window ¹. Fixr adds that the top opening helps clear humid air from bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms ³. A single-hung can only open at the bottom.

Air leakage and maintenance

Andersen says a single-hung, with fewer moving parts, can help reduce energy loss, and that both sashes of a double-hung have parts that may need maintenance over time ¹. Fixr describes single-hung windows as generally more energy-efficient for that reason and notes that locking a double-hung pulls the sashes together and reduces leakage ³. Fixr also rates single-hung windows as cheaper to repair and double-hung windows as more expensive to repair ³. A well-built double-hung can still perform well; the difference is the number of seals that have to keep working.

Cost difference

Every survey that lists both puts single-hung below double-hung, but each measures something different.

The surveys differ because some figures include labor and some do not, HomeGuide's range spans very small to very large windows, and Fixr's comparison is the oldest ^{3 4 5}. The gap between the two types is the part that holds across all of them. Andersen explains it the same way: a single-hung is simpler to build, which is reflected in the price ¹. Fixr also notes that replacing a window generally costs about $100 more per window than a new installation, and that resizing the frame adds about $300 on average ³. Full figures for double-hung windows are in double-hung window cost.

Disadvantages of each

Single-hung: the top sash does not open, so ventilation is limited to the bottom, and the outside of the top pane has to be cleaned from outdoors ^{1 3}.

Double-hung: more moving parts to maintain, more places for air to leak, a higher price, and higher repair costs ^{1 3}.

Are single-hung windows still made?

Yes. Manufacturers still make them; Andersen, for example, sells single-hung windows in its 100 Series, including an insert replacement version that fits inside an existing frame ¹. It also says replacing a single-hung with a double-hung is typically not a problem, as long as the replacement is ordered to the right size ¹.

Which one to choose

A common approach is to mix them. Andersen suggests single-hung windows where the top sash would be out of reach anyway or where you want the look at a lower price, and double-hung windows where you want air from the top, easier cleaning on upper floors, or a room with only one window ^{1 2}. Fixr points to single-hung windows in hot climates where the windows stay closed and the air conditioning runs most of the year, and double-hung windows in milder climates where opening windows is part of keeping the house comfortable ³.

For the other window styles, see types of windows. When you ask for prices, list each window as single-hung or double-hung so the quotes compare like for like; how to choose a window installer covers the rest of a written quote. When you are ready, you can compare quotes from window installers.

We are not affiliated with the manufacturers named.

About these figures

• ¹ Reported: Andersen's definitions of single-hung and double-hung windows, tilt-wash, ventilation, maintenance, price difference and its single-hung products, checked October 22, 2026.
• ² Reported: Andersen's descriptions of single-hung and double-hung windows and where each fits, checked October 22, 2026.
• ³ Reported: Fixr's single-hung ($362 to $659, $500 average) and double-hung ($528 to $961, $730 average) figures, its replacement and resizing notes, and its comparison of cleaning, ventilation, air leakage and repairs, published July 1, 2024, checked October 22, 2026.
• ⁴ Reported: HomeGuide's installed ranges for single-hung ($300 to $2,100) and double-hung ($350 to $2,500) windows, dated February 5, 2026, checked October 22, 2026.
• ⁵ Reported: HomeAdvisor's window-unit ranges for single-hung ($100 to $400) and double-hung ($150 to $650) windows, updated June 17, 2026, checked October 22, 2026.
• ⁶ Reported: Angi's double-hung installed range of $325 to $1,275 and $800 average, updated October 20, 2026, checked October 22, 2026.