Window styles, and which one suits your house

The styles Renewal by Andersen of Washington installs

Double-Hung.

Two sashes in one frame. Both slide up and down, and on most modern units both tilt inward so you can clean the outside glass from inside the room.

The common choice in older homes because it keeps the proportions of the original window. Good over a kitchen counter or anywhere a swinging sash would be in the way.

Casement.

A single sash hinged at the side that swings outward on a crank, so the whole frame opens.

Best where you want the most airflow from one window, and easier to reach over a sink. Worth checking the sash has room to swing clear of a walkway or patio.

Bay/Bow.

Several windows joined in an arc that projects out past the wall. A bay is usually three units at sharper angles, a bow is four or more in a gentler curve.

A living room or dining wall where you want more daylight and a deeper sill. This is structural work, so it takes longer than a straight swap.

Sliding.

Two or more sashes that glide sideways in a track. Nothing projects into or out of the room.

Wide walls and basement rooms, and anywhere a crank or a lifting sash is awkward to reach.

Picture.

A fixed pane that does not open. Fewer moving parts and the slimmest frame for the amount of glass.

A view you want uninterrupted, or a high wall where nobody would reach a handle. Usually paired with an operating window nearby so the room still ventilates.

Awning.

Hinged at the top and pushed outward from the bottom, so the open sash forms a small shelf.

Rain. The open sash sheds water away from the gap, so these are common high on a wall, in a bathroom, or above a larger fixed pane.

Full-frame replacement

The old frame is removed to the rough opening. A new frame, trim and flashing go in.