Types of Windows Explained: Pros, Cons, and What Each One Means for Your Home
Quick answer: The window types found in most Ontario homes are double-hung, single-hung, casement, awning, hopper, horizontal slider, picture (fixed), bay, bow, tilt-and-turn, garden, transom and sidelight, glass block, skylight, and storm windows. Casement windows seal the tightest and perform best in an Ontario winter. Picture windows are the most energy-efficient of all because nothing opens. Tilt-and-turn windows are by far the easiest to clean. Sliders are the cheapest but seal the worst. Every style trades something away — this guide covers what each one gives you, what it costs you, and what that means when it comes time to maintain it.
If you have ever wondered why one window in your house is always drafty, or always looks streaky while the rest come clean easily, the answer is usually the style of the window — not the cleaner you used and not the installer you hired.
Why window type matters more than homeowners expect
Every window is really three things: the glass, the frame, and the hardware that moves it. The style determines all three, and the style is what you live with for thirty years.
It decides how well the window seals against a January wind off Lake Simcoe. It decides whether you can reach the outside of the glass from inside your bedroom or whether someone needs a pole to do it. It decides where dirt collects, what breaks first, and what a repair costs when it does.
Nobody buys a window twice. Understanding the trade-offs before you replace one — or before you buy a house full of them — is worth the ten minutes.
The 15 window types you will find in Ontario homes
1. Double-hung windows
A double-hung window has two sashes stacked vertically, and both of them slide up and down. It is the most common style in older homes across Newmarket, Aurora and Sutton, and it remains popular in new builds with traditional facades.
- How it opens: both sashes slide vertically; most modern units tilt inward for cleaning
- Where you'll see it: bedrooms, living rooms, century-home and heritage-style facades
- Pros: classic proportions that suit traditional architecture; opening both sashes creates a natural top-and-bottom air exchange that no other style matches; the tilt-in feature makes DIY interior cleaning realistic; screens mount on the outside so they never intrude on the room
- Cons: a sliding sash cannot compress against a seal the way a crank window does, so double-hungs are inherently draftier and less energy-efficient than casements; balance springs and weatherstripping wear out; the lower track collects debris
- What it means for you: a good choice when appearance and cleanability matter more than absolute energy performance. If your units are past twenty years, budget for hardware — a sash that will not re-seat properly is a water leak waiting to happen. Always vacuum the lower track before any liquid touches it, or you are just making mud.
2. Single-hung windows
A single-hung window looks identical to a double-hung, but only the bottom sash moves — the top sash is fixed. It is the budget version of the same style.
- How it opens: bottom sash slides up only
- Where you'll see it: builder-grade homes, secondary bedrooms, rental properties
- Pros: the cheapest operable style; fewer moving parts than a double-hung means fewer things to fail; the fixed upper sash actually seals better than a sliding one would
- Cons: only half the window ventilates; the exterior of the fixed top sash can never be reached from inside; the price gap to a proper double-hung is usually smaller than people expect
- What it means for you: fine in a spare room, frustrating on a second storey — you will need outside access for that upper glass every single time. If the quote difference to a double-hung is modest, take the double-hung.
3. Casement windows
A casement window is hinged at the side and swings outward, operated by a crank. It is standard on most homes built in York Region over the last twenty-five years, and for good reason.
- How it opens: cranks outward like a door
- Where you'll see it: almost everywhere in modern construction, often flanking a picture window
- Pros: the best air seal of any operable window, because the sash compresses against the frame as it closes — this is the top performer for energy efficiency in an Ontario climate; the entire opening ventilates; the open sash acts as a scoop that catches side breezes a slider would miss
- Cons: the crank mechanism and hinges are the failure point, and they fail more often than the glass ever will; the open sash projects outward into walkways, decks and patios; wide casements can sag over time; screens sit on the interior where you see them
- What it means for you: the right call for winter comfort and heating bills, but the hardware needs attention. Keep the hinge track clear and the crank lubricated. Do not install one where it swings out over a walkway or beside a deck railing — that is a repair bill and a head injury waiting to happen. The recessed frame channel packs with grit and spider webs; clean the glass and skip the channel and the next rain washes it all back down.
4. Awning windows
An awning window is hinged at the top and pushes outward from the bottom, forming a small awning over the opening.
- How it opens: cranks outward from the bottom
- Where you'll see it: above or below picture windows, in bathrooms, and in basements
- Pros: it can stay open in the rain, which no other style manages — excellent for ventilation during a wet Ontario spring; it seals on the same compression principle as a casement, so energy performance is strong; mounted high on a wall it delivers light and airflow without sacrificing privacy
- Cons: limited opening size; it projects outward into the path of anyone walking past; in most configurations it cannot serve as a bedroom egress window; the outward-tilting bottom edge collects a distinctive dirt line
- What it means for you: excellent above a picture window or in a bathroom. Do not count on one as a bedroom escape route without checking egress requirements first. Expect the bottom edge and the often-ignored top hinge to be the parts that look neglected.
5. Hopper windows
A hopper window is hinged at the bottom and opens inward from the top — the exact reverse of an awning.
- How it opens: tilts inward
- Where you'll see it: basements, utility rooms, below-grade openings
- Pros: inexpensive; opening inward means nothing projects outside where landscaping or a window well cover would block it; ventilates a basement well; simple hardware
- Cons: the inward swing eats interior space and collides with blinds and shelving; rain comes straight in when it is open; in a window well, it is the dirtiest window in the house
- What it means for you: perfectly good for a basement, but the well matters more than the window. Leaves, road sand and standing water sit directly against the frame, and sustained moisture against a frame is exactly how rot and seal failure begin. Clean the well and the window stays clean; clean only the glass and you are back where you started in a month.
6. Horizontal slider windows
A slider has two or more sashes that glide sideways along a track. It suits wide, low openings and is common in bungalows and cottage-style builds around Lake Simcoe.
- How it opens: sashes slide horizontally; most lift out of the track
- Where you'll see it: bungalows, basements, cottages, garages
- Pros: the cheapest style per square foot of glass; no crank hardware to break; the sashes usually lift right out, which makes a genuinely thorough cleaning possible; nothing projects in or out
- Cons: the sliding seal is the weakest of any style, so drafts and water infiltration are more likely; only half the opening ventilates; the bottom track is a debris trough
- What it means for you: good value where a wide view matters more than heating costs. On lakefront and rural properties in Keswick, Pefferlaw and Jackson's Point, sand is the enemy — clear the track regularly or the rollers grind themselves apart and the sash starts to bind.
7. Picture windows (fixed windows)
A picture window is a single fixed pane that does not open at all.
- How it opens: it doesn't
- Where you'll see it: living rooms, great rooms, stairwell walls, lake-facing elevations
- Pros: the best energy performance of any window, full stop, because there is no operable seal to leak; the most glass area for the money; no hardware to fail, no screen to obstruct the view; nothing to maintain
- Cons: zero ventilation; cannot serve as egress; frequently large and high, which makes both cleaning and any eventual glass replacement expensive
- What it means for you: always pair them with operable windows nearby so the room can still breathe. Budget for professional cleaning if the window is on a second storey or above a roofline. Large picture windows sit exactly where ladder accidents happen, and a waterfed pole reaches them from the ground.
8. Bay windows
A bay window is a three-panel unit that projects outward from the wall, usually with a fixed centre pane flanked by two operable panels set at an angle.
- How it opens: the two side panels open; the centre is typically fixed
- Where you'll see it: front elevations of traditional homes, dining rooms, breakfast nooks
- Pros: adds real usable floor space and a window seat; brings light in from three directions; consistently a curb-appeal and resale positive; the flanking panels still ventilate
- Cons: expensive; requires structural support and its own small roof, and both are potential leak points; the roof cap and sill ledge trap water and debris; more exposed surface area means more heat loss than a flat window of the same opening
- What it means for you: inspect the roof cap and sill ledge every year. Most bay window failures are water failures that began as a debris problem. Also expect a higher cleaning quote than the glass area alone suggests — that ledge drains straight down the glass, so a bay streaks again faster than a flat window unless the ledge is cleaned too.
9. Bow windows
A bow window is the curved cousin of the bay — four to six panels arranged in a gentle arc rather than three panels at sharp angles.
- How it opens: some panels are operable, some fixed, depending on the unit
- Where you'll see it: larger traditional and heritage-style homes
- Pros: the same benefits as a bay with a softer curve and more total glass; light from four to six angles; the strongest architectural statement of any window style
- Cons: the most expensive common window type; the most frames, seams and sealing points, which means the most places to fail; the curved geometry makes ladder work awkward and every maintenance visit longer
- What it means for you: beautiful and genuinely high-maintenance. Keeping the seams and roof cap clear is what buys a bow window a long life. Expect any service on it — cleaning, resealing, glass replacement — to cost more than the square footage implies.
10. Tilt-and-turn windows
A tilt-and-turn window does two things with one handle: turn it partway and the sash tilts inward from the top for ventilation; turn it fully and the whole sash swings inward like a door. The design is European and is increasingly common in higher-end Ontario builds.
- How it opens: tilts in at the top, or swings fully inward
- Where you'll see it: modern custom homes, condos, high-performance builds
- Pros: by a wide margin the easiest window in existence to clean — both faces of the glass are reachable from inside, even on a third floor; two ventilation modes from one handle; multi-point locking gives an excellent air seal and better security than any other style; large sizes are possible without the sagging that plagues wide casements
- Cons: expensive; the sash swings into the room, so curtains, blinds and furniture placement all have to accommodate it; the hardware is specialized and replacement parts can be slow to source in Ontario
- What it means for you: if you are replacing upper-floor windows and access has always been the headache, this style solves it permanently. Keep the hardware channels free of grit, because the entire multi-point locking system depends on them moving freely.
11. Garden windows
A garden window is a small box that projects out from the wall with glass on the top, front and both sides — effectively a miniature greenhouse, usually above a kitchen sink.
- How it opens: side panels often vent; the front and top are fixed
- Where you'll see it: kitchens
- Pros: grows herbs and plants year-round; pulls light in from several angles; adds counter depth and real character to a small kitchen; the side vents move air well over a sink
- Cons: five glass surfaces means substantial heat loss and a real condensation problem in an Ontario winter; the horizontal top pane collects debris and shows every water spot; cooking humidity plus plant moisture films the interior glass faster than anywhere else in the house
- What it means for you: a lovely feature that asks for more attention than it gets. Watch the frame joints in winter — persistent condensation pooling there is an early warning that the unit is not sealing, and it is far cheaper to address then than after the frame has swelled.
12. Transom windows and sidelights
A transom is a narrow window set above a door or another window; a sidelight is the narrow vertical window beside a door. Both are usually fixed.
- How it opens: typically fixed, though older transoms sometimes pivot
- Where you'll see it: front entries, above garage and patio doors
- Pros: brings daylight deep into an entryway without giving up wall space or privacy; makes an ordinary front door look considerably more expensive; fixed units seal well and need no hardware
- Cons: no ventilation benefit; a clear sidelight beside a door is a security consideration if the deadbolt is reachable through it; both are the most consistently forgotten glass in the house
- What it means for you: this is the first glass a visitor sees and the last glass anyone cleans. Sidelights show hand marks and dog nose prints at the bottom and nothing at all up top; transoms above an entry are often the dirtiest glass on an otherwise spotless facade. If your entry looks tired, check the transom before you repaint the door.
13. Glass block windows
A glass block window is a fixed wall of thick, textured glass blocks mortared together — not a window that opens.
- How it opens: it doesn't, aside from an occasional small vent insert
- Where you'll see it: basements, bathrooms, garages
- Pros: delivers privacy and daylight at the same time, which no other style does as cheaply; very secure — you are not getting through a mortared glass block wall quietly; extremely durable; ideal for below-grade openings
- Cons: no ventilation unless a vent insert is fitted; no view at all; reads as dated in many homes and can be a small resale negative; the textured face and mortar joints hold dirt in a way flat glass does not
- What it means for you: the practical choice where security and privacy outrank everything else. Just know that a squeegee skips across the texture — glass block needs a different method entirely, and mortar joints hold grime that flat glass sheds on its own.
14. Skylights and roof windows
A skylight is a window installed in the roof plane; a roof window is a skylight that opens.
- How it opens: fixed, manually vented, or motorized
- Where you'll see it: hallways, stairwells, vaulted ceilings, bathrooms
- Pros: delivers roughly two to three times the daylight of a same-sized wall window because it faces open sky; lights interior rooms and stairwells that have no exterior wall at all; venting models exhaust rising hot air extremely effectively in summer
- Cons: it is a hole in your roof, and that is a leak risk for the life of the roof; significant summer heat gain and winter heat loss; condensation is common; it is the most dangerous glass in the house to reach
- What it means for you: worth it for the light, but treat it as a roof component rather than a window. Have the flashing and seals inspected whenever the roof is serviced. Skylights face straight up and take the full load of pollen, leaf tannin, roof grit and bird droppings, so they show dirt first — and cleaning them is roof work. Do not go up there yourself.
15. Storm windows
A storm window is a secondary panel installed over a primary window — usually outside, sometimes inside — to add an insulating air gap. They are common on older homes and cottages throughout Georgina, Sutton, Pefferlaw and Brechin.
- How it opens: removable panels, or a triple-track unit with sliding sashes
- Where you'll see it: century homes, heritage properties, seasonal cottages
- Pros: adds an insulating air gap for a small fraction of the cost of replacement windows; lets a heritage home keep its original wood sashes, which is often both the better look and the better long-term investment; shields the primary window from weather; fully reversible and often removable for summer
- Cons: doubles the number of glass surfaces to clean; the cavity between the panes traps moisture, insects and dust; old aluminum frames and clips are brittle; if the cavity cannot breathe, it accelerates rot on the primary sash instead of protecting it
- What it means for you: a smart, affordable upgrade for an older Georgina or Sutton home — provided the weep holes at the bottom of the storm stay clear. Blocked weep holes trap water against original wood, and that is how a heritage sash is lost. That sealed cavity is also, more often than not, the real reason a window "will not come clean": the dirt is between the panes, invisible from inside, and the storm has to come off to reach it.
Pros and cons at a glance
| Window type | Energy seal | Biggest advantage | Biggest drawback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double-hung | Fair | Traditional look, tilt-in cleaning | Sliding seal is draftier |
| Single-hung | Fair | Lowest cost operable style | Only half ventilates |
| Casement | Excellent | Best seal and airflow | Crank hardware fails first |
| Awning | Very good | Can stay open in rain | Small opening, not egress |
| Hopper | Good | Cheap, nothing projects out | Window well debris |
| Slider | Poor to fair | Cheapest per square foot | Weakest seal of any style |
| Picture / fixed | Best | No leaks, maximum glass | No ventilation at all |
| Bay | Fair | Adds floor space and light | Roof cap can leak |
| Bow | Fair | Most glass, best presence | Most expensive, most seams |
| Tilt-and-turn | Excellent | Easiest to clean, best security | High cost, swings inward |
| Garden | Poor | Year-round plants, great light | Heat loss and condensation |
| Transom / sidelight | Good | Daylight without losing wall | No ventilation |
| Glass block | Good | Privacy plus light, very secure | No view, dated look |
| Skylight | Poor to fair | Two to three times the daylight | Roof penetration, leak risk |
| Storm window | Adds insulation | Cheap upgrade for old homes | Traps moisture between panes |
Cleaning difficulty at a glance
| Window type | Both sides cleanable from inside? | Main dirt trap |
|---|---|---|
| Double-hung | Usually (tilt-in sashes) | Lower track |
| Single-hung | Bottom only | Lower track, fixed upper sash |
| Casement | Sometimes, if it opens fully | Hinge arm and frame channel |
| Awning | Rarely | Bottom edge, top hinge |
| Hopper | Interior only | Window well debris |
| Slider | Often, sash lifts out | Bottom track |
| Picture / fixed | No | Nothing — access is the issue |
| Bay | Partially | Roof cap and sill ledge |
| Bow | Partially | Multiple frames and seams |
| Tilt-and-turn | Yes | Multi-point hardware |
| Garden | Partially | Top pane and shelf |
| Transom / sidelight | No | Height and neglect |
| Glass block | No | Texture and mortar joints |
| Skylight | No | Roof grit, pollen, droppings |
| Storm window | No | Cavity between panes |
Which window type is best for an Ontario home?
For most York Region homes, casement windows are the best all-round choice, and picture windows are the best choice wherever ventilation is not needed. Casements seal tightest against winter wind, which matters more here than it does in a milder climate, and they ventilate the full opening in summer.
Beyond that, it depends on the room:
- Bedrooms: casement or double-hung, sized to meet egress requirements — this is not optional and an awning usually will not qualify
- Living rooms and great rooms: a picture window flanked by casements gives you the view, the seal and the airflow
- Bathrooms: awning or glass block, for privacy plus ventilation
- Basements: hopper or slider, with the window well kept clear
- Upper floors that are hard to reach: tilt-and-turn, if the budget allows — it pays for itself in access alone
- Century and heritage homes: keep the original sashes and add storm windows rather than replacing, provided the wood is sound
Which window types are hardest to clean properly?
The four hardest are skylights, storm windows, second-storey picture windows, and hopper windows in window wells. Each for a different reason:
- Skylights require roof access and are unforgiving of a misstep
- Storm windows require careful disassembly of brittle old hardware
- Second-storey picture windows offer no interior access and no safe ladder footing on most modern grades and landscaping
- Window well hoppers need the well cleared before the glass is even reachable
The easiest are tilt-and-turn and modern tilt-in double-hungs — both were engineered specifically so the outside face could be reached from inside.
What all of this has to do with streaks
Here is the part most guides skip. A streak is almost never a failure of technique — it is dissolved minerals left behind when water dries on glass.
Municipal water and, especially, well water across Georgina, Pefferlaw and rural East Gwillimbury carry a high mineral load. When that water dries on a pane, the water evaporates and the calcium and magnesium stay. That is a spot. Repeat it over several seasons and the deposits begin to etch the glass surface permanently — at which point no amount of cleaning restores clarity.
This is why we use a three-stage filtered, deionized pure water system. Water with the minerals stripped out has nothing to leave behind. It dries clear, with no soap residue and no spotting, and it works on every window type on this list — flat picture window, curved bow, second-storey casement — without a ladder ever touching your siding or your gardens.
The window type determines where the dirt is. The water determines whether it comes back.
How often should each window type be cleaned?
Most Ontario homes do well with two professional cleans a year: once in late spring after pollen season, and once in fall after leaf drop. Adjust from there:
- Skylights and bay/bow roof caps: twice a year minimum — they take the heaviest debris load
- Lakefront sliders and casements in Keswick, Jackson's Point and Sutton: twice a year, because wind-driven spray and sand accelerate everything
- Garden and kitchen windows: interior more often, because of cooking film and humidity
- Storm windows: once a year at the seasonal changeover, when they are being handled anyway
- New builds in Bradford, Stouffville and Queensville: a dedicated post-construction clean first, since mortar splatter and stucco dust etch glass if left through a season
One thing cleaning cannot fix: a failed sealed unit
If a window looks foggy or has a hazy film that will not clear no matter what is done to either side of the glass, the sealed unit has failed. Moisture has entered the space between the two panes, and that moisture is now inside the glass sandwich. No cleaner reaches it.
A failed unit needs replacing, not cleaning. We will tell you when we see one rather than charge you to clean it, because there is nothing to clean.
Frequently asked questions about window types
What is the difference between a casement and a double-hung window? A casement is hinged at the side and cranks outward like a door. A double-hung has two sashes that slide up and down within the frame. Casements seal more tightly and ventilate the whole opening; double-hungs suit traditional architecture and usually tilt inward for cleaning.
Which window type is the most energy efficient? Fixed picture windows, because nothing opens and there is no operable seal to leak. Among windows that do open, casements and tilt-and-turns are best, since the sash compresses against the frame when closed. Horizontal sliders are the weakest performer.
Are casement windows better than double-hung windows? For energy efficiency and ventilation, yes — a casement seals tighter and opens the full area. For traditional appearance, ease of DIY cleaning, and lower repair costs over time, a double-hung has the edge. Casement crank hardware is the most common window repair we see.
What is the difference between an awning and a hopper window? They are mirror images. An awning is hinged at the top and opens outward from the bottom. A hopper is hinged at the bottom and opens inward from the top. Awnings are typically installed above or below picture windows; hoppers are typically in basements.
Which window type is easiest to clean yourself? Tilt-and-turn windows, followed by modern tilt-in double-hungs. Both let you reach the exterior face of the glass from inside the room, even on an upper floor.
Can you clean the outside of a picture window from inside? No. A picture window is fixed and does not open, so the exterior face has to be reached from outside — with a pole system from the ground or, less safely, a ladder.
Do bay and bow windows cost more to clean? Generally yes, because you are paying for panel count and awkward geometry, not just square footage. A bow window with six panels has six frames, ten or more seams, and a curved wall that makes ladder placement difficult. Both styles also have a roof cap and sill ledge that need attention, or the glass streaks again with the first rain.
Are storm windows worth keeping on an older home? Usually yes. They add an insulating air gap for a fraction of the cost of replacement and let you keep original wood sashes, which is often the better long-term investment. The condition to watch is the weep holes — if they clog, the storm traps water against the original wood and does more harm than good.
Why do my windows still look streaky after I clean them? Almost always mineral content in the water. Tap and well water leave dissolved calcium and magnesium behind as the water evaporates. Deionized pure water has those minerals removed, so it dries without residue.
Should screens be cleaned at the same time as the windows? Yes. A dirty screen holds a layer of dust that washes straight down onto clean glass the next time it rains. Cleaning the glass and leaving the screen undoes the work within a week.
How do I know what type of windows I have? Look at how it opens. No movement at all is a picture window. A crank handle means casement or awning. Sashes that slide up and down mean single- or double-hung. Sashes that slide sideways mean a slider. A single handle that both tilts and swings the sash inward means tilt-and-turn.
Streak-free results on every window type — across Georgina and York Region
PSG – Windows and Eaves cleans every window style on this list, using a three-stage filtered pure water system that leaves no soap residue and no mineral spotting. We are fully insured, we quote upfront with no hidden fees, and we work ladder-free wherever the pole system reaches — which protects your siding, your gardens and our crew.
We serve: Georgina, Keswick, Sutton, Jackson's Point, Pefferlaw, Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Markham, Vaughan, Stouffville, Bradford and Brechin, across York Region, Simcoe County and Durham Region.
Not sure what you have? Send us a photo of your windows and we will tell you the type, what it will take to clean them properly, and what it costs — before we book anything.
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