Double Hung Windows

Double Hung Windows in Los Angeles, CA | Lightwell Windows & Doors

Double Hung Windows give Los Angeles homeowners the classic vertical-glide profile they love, with both sashes tilting inward for easy cleaning. Our Impact Series Double Hungs pair that traditional look with laminated impact glass, so you’re not choosing between curb appeal and storm protection. Lightwell Windows & Doors installs these across our PGT, CGI, CWS, ES Windows, ECO, and Mr-Glass lines throughout Los Angeles, and every installation follows HVHZ-compliant practice. Whether you’re replacing wood sashes on a 1920s Spanish Revival in Hancock Park or spec’ing new construction in the San Fernando Valley, we’ll match the right configuration to your wind zone and your home’s character. Call (562) 478-8017 to talk through your options.

Call (562) 478-8017

Product Overview – Double Hung Windows

The Double Hung is the most recognizable window profile in American residential architecture. Two sashes stack vertically and glide past each other, which means you can open the top for ventilation without giving a child or pet access to the bottom opening. In hurricane-prone coastal construction, the Double Hung has historically been a weak point because its moving parts create more potential entry points for wind and water than a fixed window. Impact-rated Double Hungs solve that problem with laminated glass, reinforced frames, and interlocking meeting rails that keep the sashes sealed under positive and negative pressure.

What makes this product work as an impact window is the combination of the frame engineering and the glass. The laminated impact glass uses a PVB interlayer that holds the glass in the frame if a piece of debris strikes it. The frame itself, whether aluminum or vinyl, is extruded with internal chambers and reinforced corners so the sash stays square when wind loads pull and push against the opening. The sashes tilt inward on both the top and bottom, which is the feature Los Angeles homeowners ask about most: you can clean both sides of the glass from inside, no ladder, no scaffold, no second-story balancing act.

Architecturally, the Double Hung fits just about any traditional Los Angeles style: Spanish Colonial, Monterey, Craftsman, Cape Cod, and the mid-century ranch homes that fill neighborhoods from Burbank to Torrance. The key is matching the frame color and the sightlines to the existing trim. We carry five standard finishes and can walk you through which ones read as “period-correct” once we’ve seen your home.

Technical Specifications

• Frame materials: Aluminum and vinyl, both extruded with internal reinforcement designed for HVHZ wind loads
• Glass options: Laminated impact glass with PVB interlayer, Low-E insulated glass, tinted glass, and clear glass
• Finish options: White, Almond, Bronze, Black, and Tan
• Screen options: Half screen and full screen, sized per unit configuration
• Design pressure: Matched to your specific wind zone, up to +/-100, never higher
• Compliance documents: Miami-Dade NOA and Florida Product Approval numbers available per configuration, verified on your written quote
• Code basis: Engineered to Florida Building Code High-Velocity Hurricane Zone requirements

Exact size ranges vary by manufacturer line and frame material. We’ll confirm precise width and height limits for your configuration once we review your opening sizes and wind zone. What matters most is that the design pressure rating on your quote matches the actual wind zone your property sits in, not a generic rating that happens to cover the county. We match, we don’t oversell.

Hurricane & Compliance Performance

Laminated Impact Glass
The glass in our Double Hung Impact Series is laminated with a PVB interlayer sandwiched between two panes. When debris hits, the outer pane may crack, but the interlayer holds the glass in the frame and keeps the building envelope sealed. That’s the difference between a broken window and a breached opening during a storm.

Miami-Dade NOA & Florida Product Approval
Each configuration we quote carries a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance or Florida Product Approval number. These are issued per configuration, meaning the exact frame material, glass package, and size combination you order has its own approval documentation. We verify the applicable numbers on your written quote so your permit package is complete.

FBC / HVHZ Compliance
The product is engineered to Florida Building Code High-Velocity Hurricane Zone requirements. HVHZ is the stricter of the two Florida code regimes, applicable to Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Building to the HVHZ standard from day one means the window performs anywhere wind loads are a genuine structural consideration.

TAS 201 / 202 / 203 Testing Context
HVHZ-rated products are tested under the TAS protocol family. TAS 201 covers large-missile impact resistance. TAS 202 covers cyclic wind-pressure loading, which simulates how hurricane winds pulse and fatigue a window over hours, not seconds. TAS 203 covers forced-entry resistance. The Double Hung series qualifies under this protocol family, which matters when your local building department reviews the submittal.

Design Pressure for Your Wind Zone
Design pressure is a PSF rating, not a wind speed number. Our Double Hungs are rated up to +/-100 design pressure, and we match the rating to your actual wind zone rather than defaulting to a maximum on every quote. A window overbuilt for its zone costs more without adding meaningful protection. One underbuilt for its zone fails inspection. We size it correctly the first time.

Energy Performance
Low-E insulated glass is available as an option on the Impact Series Double Hung, which means you get both the impact protection and a thermal break in the glass package. Tinted glass is also available for west-facing elevations in Los Angeles where afternoon sun and glare are a daily reality. Clear laminated glass remains the choice when you want maximum visible light and the impact rating with no tint or coating.

Color & Glass Options

The finish on a Double Hung does more than match the trim. It changes how the window reads against the wall, and it can make or break the period look you’re going for. White is the most common choice across Los Angeles, especially on the Craftsman and coastal cottage homes in Long Beach and San Pedro. Almond and Tan work well on the stucco Mediterranean and Spanish Revival homes that dominate neighborhoods like Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and the Pasadena foothills. Bronze and Black read more contemporary, and we’re seeing more demand for Black on modern farmhouse remodels and newer coastal builds where the window frames are a design feature, not something to hide.

On glass, the decision usually comes down to sun orientation and privacy. If you have large west- or south-facing elevations, Low-E insulated glass makes a noticeable difference in daytime heat gain and is worth the upgrade on a Double Hung because it also adds a second barrier behind the laminated impact layer where applicable. Tinted glass suits bedrooms and media-facing windows where you want glare control without window coverings. Clear laminated impact glass is the workhorse for anything historical or any room where you want the cleanest possible light.

Installation by Lightwell Windows & Doors in Los Angeles

A Miami-Dade NOA product installed wrong is just an expensive window. The NOA rating only performs as tested when the window is anchored, shimmed, and sealed in the way the approval documents describe. That’s the entire value of hiring an installer who does this every week in coastal Los Angeles and the surrounding cities.

We start every Double Hung project with a pre-install inspection of the existing openings. We’re looking at the condition of the rough opening, the type of wall construction, the existing flashing, and any water damage that needs to be addressed before the new window goes in. You can’t seal an impact window to a rotted jamb and expect the NOA rating to hold. If there’s damage, we tell you before we order anything.

On install day, our process is the same on every opening: set the window level, plumb, and square, shim it properly, anchor it to the manufacturer’s specified schedule, and seal the perimeter with AAMA 812 low-expansion foam. We install to AAMA 2400/2410 standard practice, which covers the full sequence from water-resistive barrier integration through interior finish. That low-expansion foam is the detail that separates a window that stays dry for twenty years from one that leaks after two: it expands to fill the perimeter gap without bowing the frame, and it won’t push the jamb out of square as it cures.

After installation, we run a final water test on a representative sample of openings, verify operation of both sashes and the tilt mechanisms, and walk the interior and exterior with you before we clean up. We also handle the permitting side: Los Angeles and the surrounding municipalities have their own submittal requirements, and HVHZ jurisdictions want to see the NOA or FL Product Approval documents that match your exact configuration. We pull permits, submit the right paperwork, and schedule inspections. All of it is part of the quote, not an add-on surprise after you’ve signed.

Frequently Asked Questions – Double Hung Windows

Get a Quote – Double Hung Windows in Los Angeles

The fastest way to accurate pricing is a free on-site measurement. We’ll assess your openings, confirm your wind zone, discuss finish and glass options, and put together a written quote with the NOA or FL Product Approval numbers for your specific configuration. Call (562) 478-8017 to schedule your free estimate, or tell us about your project and we’ll get you on the schedule.

Written by the team at Lightwell Windows & Doors, serving Los Angeles, CA and the surrounding communities with hurricane-impact window and door installation.