Sliding Windows

In a single slider one sash moves and the other is fixed, so you get ventilation from one side only. In a double slider both sashes move, so you can open either side or both. A double slider costs more because it needs two sets of rollers, weatherstripping and locks, and it opens to the same total area as a single slider of the same size.

Yes, and they are the most common basement window in Winnipeg and Calgary. Basement openings are typically wider than they are tall, which suits a horizontal slider, and there is no swinging sash to clear a window well. If the basement has a bedroom, confirm the unit meets egress: a slider needs a wider frame than a casement for the same clear opening because only half of it opens.

Slightly, and it is unavoidable. A casement compresses into a gasket when the crank pulls it shut. A slider seals against brush weatherstripping that must stay loose enough for the sash to move. With identical glass and frames, the casement will always test lower for air leakage. Good rollers, a well-fitted track and a proper installation close most of the gap.

Nine times out of ten it is debris in the bottom track. Vacuum the track, wipe it with a damp cloth, and apply dry silicone spray to the track and the rollers. Never use oil or grease, which trap grit and make the problem worse. If the sash still binds after that, the rollers have flattened and need replacing, which is a low-cost repair.

Yes. Norden Seal builds sliders to custom dimensions within the minimum and maximum limits shown in the size table on this page. Custom sizing costs no more than a stock size on a made-to-order window, which is why a replacement slider should be built to your actual opening rather than shimmed into a nearest-size unit.

A slider of the same dimensions is generally cheaper, because the hardware is simpler: rollers and a latch instead of a multi-point lock and a geared operator. The Norden Seal comparison of casement and sliding windows breaks down the cost difference and shows where a casement earns the gap back in energy performance.