10 Types of Windows for Your Home and How to Choose the Right One

The types of windows you can get for your home range from the ever-popular double-hung, slider, and casement windows to more unique bay windows and glass block windows. If you're buying replacement or new construction windows, it helps to know more about window features and when to choose one over another. Read on to find the correct type of window for your home and budget.

Double-Hung Windows

• Best for: Homes with multiple stories, traditional or farmhouse-style homes

Double-hung windows feature two large sashes that slide up and down independently within vertical tracks. Older double-hung windows are often counterbalanced by weights hidden in wall pockets behind the case moldings, while newer double-hung windows are counterbalanced by springs hidden in the side tracks. 

Double-hung windows are often found in homes with classic traditional styling, though they are also found in traditional-modern homes. Farmhouse and bungalow home styles make extensive use of double-hung windows. 

Double-hung windows work well for upper levels, where cleaning the windows from the outside is difficult. Upper sashes can be slid down or swung inward for cleaning.

In some cases, double-hung windows can be a safety hazard for children. Opening the lower sash creates a large, accessible opening. Yet double-hung windows can also be very safe. It's possible to keep the top sash open for ventilation while locking the bottom sash.

Single-Hung Windows

• Best for: Windows at ground level, saving money on the cost of windows and energy efficiency

Like double-hung windows, single-hung windows have an upper and a lower sash. However, the upper sash is fixed, and you can move the lower sash up and down.

Single-hung windows are a slightly lower-cost alternative to double-hung windows. Fewer moving parts that can potentially break make them easier to maintain than double-hung, slider, casement, or any moving window.

Single-hung windows work best on first-level stories because you must clean the upper sash from the outside. Because the top sash is inoperable, it's impossible to open it up for ventilation as you can with double-hung windows.

Casement Windows

• Best for: Modern, contemporary-styled homes, directing breezes

Casement windows open and close like a door. Casement windows are controlled by a crank or another mechanism that gradually pivots the window. On the other side is a latch to lock the window when shut.

Casement windows look more modern or contemporary than double-hung or single-hung windows because they do not have the distinctive upper and lower sash design.

Casement windows close tightly, effectively keeping out drafts. When you want air movement in the house, casement windows can also direct outside air into the house. 

When fully extended, casement windows can be broken off by strong winds. The cranking mechanisms are also subject to wear and have a high failure rate.

Awning Windows

• Best for: Basements, below-grade rooms, kitchens, ventilation during rainy weather

Awning windows are attached to the top of the window frame. The sash is attached at the top and locks into place at the bottom. When fully open, an awning window looks like an awning.

Awning windows are often used in wet climates. Since the glass is an awning, the sash can be left open during light rain to prevent water from entering. Small awning windows are often used in the basement or below-grade applications. 

Like casement windows, awning windows operate via mechanical cranks that are subject to wear. So, they have a high failure rate and need more maintenance.

Slider Windows

• Best for: Mid-century modern and ranch-style homes, tall buildings, rooms with wider walls

Slider windows move from side to side. One or both of the sashes slide on horizontal tracks. 

Slider windows work well in modern home styles or any type of home where a horizontal or landscape orientation is preferred over a vertical one. Popular with mid-century modern and ranch-style homes, slider windows are very durable and easy to open and close. 

Slider windows are simple to maintain, with no cranks or complicated mechanisms. However, their tracks attract dirt and debris, requiring frequent cleaning.

Fixed Windows

• Best for: Modern homes, tall buildings

Fixed windows have a glass pane that is sealed within the window frame and does not open or close. The classic picture window is the most familiar example of a fixed window.

Fixed windows provide views or light where ventilation or egress is not needed. They lend themselves to modern home styles and are cheaper than window styles.

Fixed windows can create too much energy gain in warm, sunny climates because they cannot be opened and do not provide a means of admitting fresh air. The outside of fixed windows must always be cleaned from the outside—they do not open or swing inward.

Skylight or Roof Windows

• Best for: Walls that lack windows, smaller rooms

Roof windows and skylights are fixed or operable windows installed on a roof.

Roof windows and skylights bring light into areas where wall space for windows is limited. Framed shafts or chases extending from the skylight through the attic to the ceiling below can also improve light and ventilation in large open-concept rooms. 

Bay or Bow Windows

• Best for: Homes with limited space, making the windows the focal piece of the room

A bay or bow window is a combination of windows extending outward from the house's wall surface. These windows are called bay windows when the shape of the extension is essentially square. They are known as bow windows when the shape is curved.  

Bay and bow windows are traditionally formed with a fixed center picture window flanked on the sides by one or more pairs of double-hung or casement windows. 

A bay or bow window can be a visual centerpiece in large living rooms, family rooms, or parlors. Add a window seat to a bay or bow window to provide extra seating and storage options.

Glass Block Windows

• Best for: Basements, bathrooms, or as an aesthetic feature

Glass block windows are fixed windows made with architectural glass blocks, usually mortared in place. The thick blocks are typically made from semi-opaque glass, allowing light to pass through while blocking views.

Glass block windows are most commonly used in bathrooms or other spaces where you want to introduce light while obstructing visibility. You can also install glass blocks in foundation walls to bring a modest amount of light into basements. Some styles of glass block windows include ventilating panels built into the unit. 

Glass block windows are very secure because not only are they fixed windows, but they are mortared into place. Glass block windows can be challenging to integrate into some home styles.

Garden Windows

• Best for: Kitchens, growing plants

Garden windows are five-sided window units extending from the house's side. They usually have glass on four sides and a solid fifth side on the bottom.

Garden windows expand a room just slightly. They can hold plants that need extra sunlight and heat-resistant decorative items. They don't work well for storage because all items are on prominent display, but you can add a smaller piece, like a knife block, without detracting from the look.

How to Choose the Right Type of Window

When buying windows for a house or particular room, consider the available wall space and the house's aesthetics, the window's price tag and eventual energy efficiency costs, lighting and ventilation needs, and cleaning and maintenance expectations.

Weigh the factors you need or want most before investing in a new set of windows. If you have a multi-story house and do not see yourself climbing a ladder to clean the outside windows, consider windows that swing open or double-hung windows. Otherwise, you'll also need to factor in the cost to hire window cleaners periodically to do the task.