The double hung window, we love this window! Throughout the US this is the window in most old homes, before 1950 this window made up a large part of any exterior. It was an important part of America’s ever growing neighborhoods. You can find this in every type of vintage old home. Today at Wood Window Rescue the double hung sash window is our primary focus of our window repair and restoration business. Our sales and service partners along with our repairmen spend weeks learning about how the double hung window works, how to repair it and how it can outperform any modern window system. Every trainee begins with the basics, the anatomy of the double hung window. Below is the walkthrough of a double hung window by me, a link to the anatomy of the double hung window and a glossary of common wood window terms.
Get a Copy of Our Diagram of a Double Hung Window!
GLOSSARY
DOUBLE HUNG WINDOW- A wood window with two vertically sliding sash separated by a parting bead or stop providing separate tracks for the operation of the sash and in which both sash operate.
SASH- Sash is a framed piece of glass that includes two stiles and two rails. The Sashes may be fixed or hung, operational.
JAMB- The structural window frame that holds the sash. The jamb includes the header, jamb leg and sill.
MECHANICAL- The system the window uses to open and close, this includes hardware and balance type.
SASH TERMS
MEETING RAIL- The horizontal member of a single hung or double hung top or bottom window sash that meets or aligns with its mate when the window is in the closed position.
RAIL- The outside vertical member of a window sash.
STILE- The vertical piece of a sash frame. This is where the balance system is connected on a double hung sash window.
EVERSASH- The reproduction sash made by Wood Window Rescue. The ever sash is designed to match most windows built between 1880 and 1950. The wood window is built using Accoya, the highest grade longest lasting wood available in the world. The EverSash is available though out the nation by contacting Wood Window Rescue.
MUNTIN- A light bar dividing two panes of glass in the field of a sash to form individual lights.
LITE- A pane of glass; also, an opening in a sash for receiving a pane of glass.
GLAZING- The lites/glass are sealed in place using glazing putty. Trade professionals only use high quality oil based glazing like Sarco Type M.
JAMB TERMS
JAMB LEG- The side jamb of a double hung window in which the pulleys are mortised and installed.
JAMB HEAD- The uppermost horizontal member of the window frame, fitting between the side jambs or pulley stiles.
SILL- The horizontal member at the bottom of the window frame upon which the lower sash rests when closed.
SUB SILL- In a window frame with two-piece sill construction, it is the lower member beneath the sill.
BLIND STOP- The wood stop on the outside edge of the wood window jamb just behind the exterior casing against which the shutter, blind, or screen rests. If also serves to guide and retain the top sash in a hung window.
PARTING BEAD- The narrow wood strip separating the sash in a check rail window.
INTERIOR STOP- Molded wood strip that holds the lower sash in and ties the jamb leg to the casing.
WEIGHT POCKET- The small removable door cut into the pulley stile of a weight-and-pulley counterbalanced hung window to allow access for repairing broken sash cords or chains. The lower end of the weight pocket is located about six inches above the sill.
DRAFTSTOP- Wood Window Rescue’s exclusive weather-stripping system that integrates high performance pile weather-stripping with traditional wood window moldings like interior stop and parting bead.
MECHANICAL PARTS
SASH CORD- Small diameter rope used to counter balance the double hung sash window.
PULLEY- The pulley (wheel) over which the sash cord or chain is routed for counter balancing a hung window sash with weights with weights located in the jamb leg.
MECHANICAL RESCUE- The flagship Wood Window Rescue service. This service restores the window and sash to working order.
SASH LOCK- A locking mechanism for a wood window used to secure a sash in the close position.
SASH LIFT- A handle or recessed finger grip used to provide leverage to open a sash window.
BONUS TERMS
CASING- Trim work that surrounds a window that ties the window into the interior and exterior walls.
MULLION- On a window frame, the casing that joins two frames together as in making up a twin, triple, or other multiple window unit.
STOOL- The horizontal interior trim member at the base of the wood window that sits on top of the window sill, projecting into the room forming a shelf which is the termination point for the interior casing and window stop and provides a lip for the lower sash to seal against when closed.
APRON- The horizontal interior trim member beneath the window stool.
DRIP CAP- A beveled molding applied to the top of the head casing of a window or door frame and extending horizontally beyond the face of the casing, normally having a drip edge on the underside, its purpose to shed water away from the face of the casing and window.
WEATHER STRIPPING: A material around the perimeter of a window designed to reduce air infiltration. Usually metal or composite.
UNIT: A complete wood window including sash, jamb and sill.
SASH SET: Sash for a double hung window.
OPEN SASH: Sash shipped from Wood Window Rescue with no glass installed.
KNOCK DOWN SASH- A Sash shipped from Wood Window Rescue unassembled without glass.
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