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Frequently Asked Questions
Why choose top-hung?
Mainly for rain - the open sash forms an awning over its own opening.
It can be left open in light rain without water running in.
A side-hung window in the same rain lets water enter directly.
That suits bathrooms, kitchens and stairwells.
Anywhere continuous ventilation is wanted benefits.
It is the property the arrangement is usually specified for.
How does gravity affect it?
The sash tends to fall closed under its own weight.
So the hinge or stay has to hold it open rather than hold it shut.
Friction or a positive stay does that.
A failing stay shows as a sash that will not stay up.
That is a different symptom from a side-hung window blowing about.
It also means the window closes itself if the stay lets go.
Where is the weight carried?
At the head, which loads the top of the frame and the hinge fixings.
A side-hung window loads the jamb instead.
On heavier glazed sashes that concentration matters.
Frame material and fixing have to suit it.
Double and triple glazing make the sash considerably heavier.
Hinge selection follows the glazed weight rather than the frame alone.
How are they cleaned?
With difficulty from inside, which is the practical drawback.
The outer face is awkward to reach through the opening.
At height that becomes a real problem.
Easy-clean and reversible variants exist for the purpose.
They are worth considering before installation rather than after.
Retrofitting a different hinge type later is possible but more disruptive.
Do they work as escape windows?
Generally poorly - the sash sits across the top of the opening.
That rarely gives the clear dimensions an escape route requires.
Designated escape windows are usually side-hung instead.
Egress hinges are specified for that duty.
Whether a window must serve as escape is set locally.
Checking the requirement before choosing the opening type avoids an expensive change.
What about restrictors on top-hung windows?
They are those of any opening window above ground level.
Fall risk depends on the opening rather than the hinge type.
Restriction requirements are set by the same local rules.
A restrictor also limits the awning effect in rain.
Releasable types allow full opening for cleaning.
The device has to be strong enough to resist a person's weight.
Is the hardware different from side-hung?
The stays are, because the geometry and load direction differ.
Top-hung stays are made for that arrangement.
Fitting side-hung stays produces incorrect geometry.
The sash then binds or does not open properly.
Weight ratings and handing still apply as usual.
Manufacturers list top-hung and side-hung stays separately for exactly this reason.