Two sashes in one frame, and both of them move. A sash is the part of the window that holds the glass, and on a double-hung each one slides up and down past the other. It is the most common window on homes in this region and the one most people picture when they think of a window.
Exterior windows and doors only. We do not install interior doors or interior windows.
How it opens
A double-hung window has two sashes in one frame that both slide up and down, so you can open the top, the bottom or both. It is the most common replacement window in North Alabama and suits traditional homes, bedrooms and any opening beside a walkway or patio. It seals slightly less tightly than a casement, but it costs less and never swings outward.
The details
Traditional and colonial-style homes, bedrooms, and anywhere you want to control airflow without a sash swinging out into a walkway or over a patio. Because nothing projects from the wall, a double-hung sits comfortably beside a porch, a deck or the path to a gate.
It is also the only common style that takes a window air conditioner without changes. If you cool a bedroom that way, that alone may decide it.
A casement seals by pressing its sash tight against the frame. A double-hung seals by weight and by weatherstripping that rubs along the frame, so it is slightly less airtight. It wins on familiarity, on not sticking out from the wall, and on cost.
Against a sliding window it is about even on sealing. The choice there is mostly about shape: double-hungs suit tall openings, sliders suit wide, short ones.
Both sashes ride in tracks, and with the pollen North Alabama gets each spring, the lower track fills up. That is the main upkeep item. A track packed with debris stops the sash from seating fully at the bottom, and the draft that follows gets blamed on the window rather than the debris.
The meeting rail is the other place to watch. It is the one horizontal joint in the window, and after twenty years of opening and closing, it is usually where a double-hung starts to leak air first.
Clean the lower track first, because a clogged track can make a sound window act like a failing one. If problems remain, these are the signs that replacement makes sense.
Low-E glass with argon fill is the practical baseline here. Low-E is a thin, invisible coating that reflects heat, and argon is a gas sealed between the panes that slows heat moving through. In this climate the goal is keeping summer sun out more than keeping winter heat in, so the right coating depends on which way the window faces and how much shade it gets.
Tilt-in sashes are worth it above the ground floor. On exposed walls, ask about glass thickness and impact rating, because hail is a real risk in this region.
We price after measuring, line by line, with the materials named. These are the things that move the number.
We walk your exterior, measure, and show you the options. There is no charge and no pressure.
You get a written scope with every line and material named. Then we order for your home.
Cut, fitted, trimmed, cleaned up and hauled away the same day. You never look at a pile of old frames.
Real ACM job photos. Every photo marked “ACM job photo” is from one of our own jobs.
ACM job photoPorch window replacement
Old porch windows with failing frames replaced with a new picture window and sliders, set and sealed from the outside.
ACM job photoDouble-hung window replacement in brick
A worn double-hung window with a deteriorated sill replaced with a new white double-hung unit.
ACM job photoNew picture window on a brick ranch
A large picture window installed on a brick ranch home, finished and cleaned up the same day.
ACM Pros replaced our windows and our front door in Hazel Green, AL. We are very happy with the work and the team.
No. A casement presses against its frame when it closes, while a double-hung seals along a sliding track and at the meeting rail. On an exposed south or west wall that difference is measurable. Everywhere else it is small enough that ease of use, cost and how the house looks usually decide it.
Yes. Double-hung is the only common style a window unit fits without changes. That is worth knowing before you replace a bedroom window you currently cool that way.
Above the ground floor, yes. Tilt-in sashes fold inward so you can clean the outside of the glass without a ladder. On a second story, that is the difference between cleaning it twice a year and never cleaning it at all.
On a single-hung window only the bottom sash moves and the top one is fixed. On a double-hung both move, so you can lower the top sash to let warm air out while the bottom stays closed. From the street the two look almost the same.
If the existing frame is sound, square and dry, an insert, which is a new window fitted inside the old frame, is the right call and saves time and money. If there is rot, an out-of-square opening or water staining at the sill, full-frame replacement back to the wall framing is the only lasting answer. We decide this when we measure, not on install day.
Ten to fifteen windows on a single-story home typically take one to two days. Frame repair, two-story work and special-order sizes add time. We replace one opening at a time, so your home is never left open to the weather.
No. We replace exterior windows only, the windows in your home's outside walls. We do not install interior windows or interior doors, and we do no interior remodeling.
Every window style and frame material, measured and installed from the outside with a sill pan and proper flashing.
Learn moreSide-hinged and cranked open, a casement seals tighter than any other common style and catches the breeze.
Learn moreSashes that glide sideways in a track. Wide views, simple parts and easy to open, with a track that needs regular cleaning.
Learn moreA fixed window that does not open. The most durable and airtight style, ideal for framing a view and bringing in light.
Learn more
Entry, patio, exterior French and storm doors, set on a sealed sill pan so the threshold stays dry for years.
Learn more
Ranch homes, historic districts and glass for afternoon sun.
Learn more
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Frame material, glass package and window style, judged against what North Alabama's long, humid cooling season actually does to a window.
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Five window problems worth acting on in a North Alabama home, and two that look alarming but usually are not.
Exterior doors10 minute read
Fiberglass, steel and wood each have a place on a North Alabama front door. Here is how humidity, hail and hard afternoon sun should steer your choice.
We're based in Madison and work across North Alabama, providing double-hung windows in every area below. We do not work in Tennessee.
Tell us what you're picturing. We'll come out, measure up, and give you a free written estimate, so you know exactly what to expect before any work begins.
