Casement windows that close against the weather

When a casement earns the opening

Use a casement where you want a large clear opening, a tight seal on a windy wall, or an easy exit path for air in a kitchen or bedroom. A single casement can stand alone. Pairs can meet at a mullion, and a fixed lite between two vents is a common way to keep the view while still having fresh air. Vinyl and clad frames both carry this operation; the choice follows the rest of the house, not a separate catalogue.

Casement window replacement in an existing opening is still replacement. The difference is the hardware and the screen, which sits on the interior because the sash swings out. If you are cutting a new hole for a casement, that scope is installation.

Hardware, screens, and glass

• A crank and a lock that can be reached. Tall units sometimes need a pole or a lower lock — we check that at measure.
• An interior screen. Mesh and frame repairs for those screens are on the screen page.
• Double or triple pane glass, chosen the same way as on any other window. See energy-efficient windows.
• A limited opening if the window is above a walkway or in a child’s room. Hardware can do that; we do not leave it to chance.

What casements are not

They are not awning windows. An awning hinges at the top and can shed rain while it is open. A casement opens to the side and should usually be closed in a driving rain. They are also a poor fit where a swing would hit a walkway, a deck rail, or the neighbour’s fence. We will say that at the opening rather than after the unit arrives.

Cost notes

Casements cost more than a basic slider of the same glass size because of the hinges, the operator, and the screen. Replacing only the operator or a latch on a window that is otherwise sound is sometimes possible; if the sash has racked, parts are the expensive way to delay a replacement. We will tell you which one we are looking at.

Questions we hear on this work