Double-Hung Windows
San Francisco & the Peninsula

Two sashes,
both moving

A double-hung window has an upper and a lower sash that both slide up and down. Lower the top sash and warm air escapes near the ceiling; raise the bottom one and cool air comes in at sill height. In a tall-ceilinged SF flat, opening both is the best natural ventilation you can get.

The originals ran on cotton ropes and cast iron weights hidden in the wall. When the ropes break, the sash slams or won’t stay open. New double-hungs use concealed balances and tilt inward, so you can clean the outside glass on the third floor without a ladder.

Why homeowners
choose them

• The proportions SF’s Victorians and Edwardians were designed around
• Top and bottom both open for flexible airflow
• Tilt-in sashes for safe cleaning on upper floors
• Nothing swings out over a sidewalk or lightwell
• Easy to match original grid patterns and sightlines

What to know
before you choose

• The sliding seal is not quite as tight as a casement’s compression seal
• The meeting rail crosses the middle of the view
• Very tall sashes can be heavy to lift without good balances

Where double-hungs fit
SF homes

• Street-facing windows on Victorians and Edwardians in Noe Valley, the Mission, Haight-Ashbury and Pacific Heights
• Homes in historic districts, where the street facade must keep its original look
• Upper-floor flats, where tilt-in cleaning matters
• Windows over lightwells and side passages, where nothing can swing out
• Craftsman and colonial homes on the Peninsula, such as Burlingame and Palo Alto

On street-facing walls of historic buildings, SF Planning usually expects wood or approved wood-clad double-hungs that match the original profile. We check your property’s status before anything is ordered, and handle the review as part of the job.

Double-Hung windows from
the brands we carry

We’re an authorized dealer for all six brands we carry. Each brand below makes double-hung windows; we’ll show you samples at the consultation.

• Windsor: Revive wood-clad double-hungs, made for replacing old wood sashes.
• Simonton: Madeira double-hungs with a wood-look profile.
• Anlin: Coronado double-hungs with tilt-in sashes.
• Milgard: Tuscany vinyl double-hungs.
• Alside: Mezzo double-hungs with tilting sashes.
• ProVia: Endure vinyl double-hungs.