Double Hung Windows

Double Hung Windows in Coral Gables, FL | TruePane Windows & Doors

Double hung windows are the classic vertical-slide design Florida homeowners know well: two sashes that move up and down independently, with tilt-in panels on both the top and bottom for easy cleaning. But in Coral Gables, a double hung window has to do more than look traditional. It has to hold up under hurricane-force wind, wind-driven debris, and the relentless salt air that comes with living a few miles from the coast. TruePane Windows & Doors installs impact-rated double hung windows across PGT, CGI, CWS, ES Windows, ECO, and Mr-Glass product lines, engineered to Miami-Dade and Florida Building Code HVHZ requirements. Call (954) 507-3613 to talk through your project, or keep reading to understand what makes this window different.

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Product Overview - Double Hung Windows

Double hung windows are one of the most requested profiles for Coral Gables homes, and for good reason. The traditional look fits the city’s Mediterranean Revival architecture, colonials, and even the mid-century ranches scattered through neighborhoods like the Biltmore area, Riviera, and Cocoplum. Both sashes operate vertically, so you can open the top for ventilation while keeping the bottom closed, a real advantage in a climate where cross-breeze matters from March through November.

What separates an impact double hung from a standard double hung is the glass and the engineering behind it. Laminated impact glass with a PVB interlayer is bonded between panes, so if a branch or roof tile strikes the window during a storm, the glass fractures but stays in the frame rather than exploding into your living room. The frame, whether aluminum or vinyl, is reinforced to handle the load path from wind pressure through the sash and into the wall. That’s the number one reason you don’t see cheap builder-grade double hungs specified for remodeling projects in Coral Gables: they simply won’t pass the HVHZ requirements the city’s building department enforces.

TruePane Windows & Doors installs double hung impact windows as complete systems, not just glass swaps. We work with PGT, CGI, CWS, ES Windows, ECO, and Mr-Glass configurations so the window you choose matches the design pressure your specific wind zone requires, never more and never less. If you’re replacing original windows in a 1920s Coral Gables home or upgrading aluminum single-hungs in a 1980s construction, we’ll match the profile to the architecture without compromising the rating.

Technical Specifications

Here’s what you can expect from the double hung impact windows we supply and install in Coral Gables. Every configuration gets a Miami-Dade NOA or Florida Product Approval number assigned to it, so the paperwork your permit requires is available before we ever schedule the install.

• Frame materials: Aluminum or vinyl, selected for the home’s exposure and the existing window openings
• Glass options: Laminated impact glass (PVB interlayer), Low-E insulated glass, tinted glass, or clear glass
• Finish options: White, almond, bronze, black, and tan, in either a painted or anodized surface depending on the frame material
• Screen options: Half screen or full screen, fiberglass mesh, removable from the interior for cleaning
• Operation: Both sashes tilt in for cleaning; both sashes slide vertically on balanced tracks
• Sill design: Sloped extrusion sill with positive weep drainage, standard on the configurations we specify for South Florida
• Design pressure: Matched to your specific wind zone, up to +/-100, never higher

Hurricane & Compliance Performance

Impact windows in Coral Gables are not a marketing term. They’re a code requirement, and the product you install has to carry the documentation to prove it. Here’s what matters on a double hung impact window.

Laminated Impact Glass
The core of the system is laminated glass with a PVB (polyvinyl butyral) interlayer. When impact occurs, the outer lite may crack, but the interlayer holds the broken glass in the frame. That’s the difference between a window that fails and one that keeps the building envelope sealed during a storm.

Miami-Dade NOA and Florida Product Approval
Each double hung configuration carries a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance or Florida Product Approval number, issued per configuration based on the frame, glass, and size combination. You’ll see the specific numbers on your written quote, which keeps the permit submittal process moving.

FBC / HVHZ Compliance
The products we install are engineered to Florida Building Code High-Velocity Hurricane Zone requirements. In Coral Gables, which sits inside the HVHZ, that compliance is non-negotiable. The window ratings are matched to the address, not the county average.

TAS 201 / 202 / 203 Testing Context
HVHZ-rated double hung windows are tested under the TAS protocol family: TAS 201 for large-missile impact, TAS 202 for cyclic wind-pressure loading, and TAS 203 for forced-entry resistance. This is the testing regime that separates a Miami-Dade rated product from an inland-rated product with a hurricane sticker on the box.

Design Pressure for Your Wind Zone
There’s no single “correct” design pressure for Coral Gables. A home on a canal in Cocoplum sees different wind loads than a one-story house off Bird Road. We specify design pressures matched to your wind zone, up to +/-100, never higher. Over-specifying doesn’t make a window safer; it makes it more expensive.

Energy Performance
For homes in Coral Gables where air-conditioning runs most of the year, Low-E insulated glass is available as an upgrade. The coating reduces solar heat gain without changing the impact rating. Tinted glass is another option for west-facing rooms that take direct afternoon sun. Clear laminated impact glass remains the most common choice for homeowners who want maximum visible light.

Color & Glass Options

The finishes available on our double hung impact windows span the range Coral Gables homes actually use. White is the default choice for most remodels because it stays cooler in the sun and matches standard interior trim. Almond and tan read warmer and work particularly well on the Mediterranean and Spanish-style homes common in neighborhoods like the Biltmore area and Hammock Oaks, where window frames are visible against stucco walls. Bronze and black have gained real traction in Coral Gables over the last decade, especially on contemporary renovations and homes with dark-framed entry doors or metal roofing accents.

On the glass side, your four options break down like this: laminated impact glass is the base hurricane-protection package and is required for any window protecting an occupied room. Low-E insulated laminated glass adds a thermal break and solar control, which is the upgrade we recommend most often for Coral Gables homes with western or southern exposure. Tinted glass cuts glare and heat gain further, at the cost of some visible light. Clear glass keeps the view as neutral as possible, which matters if you’re looking at tree canopy or water.

Installation by TruePane Windows & Doors in Coral Gables

An impact window is only as good as the installation. You can buy a window that carries a perfect NOA number, and if it’s set out of plumb or sealed incorrectly, it won’t perform the way the testing says it will. We’ve pulled windows out of Coral Gables homes where the previous installer skipped the perimeter sealant, ignored the weep drainage, or shimmed the frame into an opening that wasn’t square. Water finds those mistakes.

Our installation process starts with a pre-install inspection of the existing opening: we check for rot, termite damage, out-of-square framing, and water intrusion history before a single screw goes in. We set every double hung window level, plumb, and square, then anchor it per the manufacturer’s installation instructions and the AAMA 2400/2410 standard practice for installation of windows in exterior walls. Around the entire perimeter we use AAMA 812 low-expansion polyurethane foam as the air and water seal, followed by an exterior sealant joint that’s tooled and inspected. After final trim-out, we run a water test on the sill and check operation of both sashes and the tilt mechanisms before we call the job done.

Coral Gables adds its own layer of process. The city is an HVHZ jurisdiction with its own building department, and permits require the product approval documentation we provide. Coastal exposure varies block by block, and the wind zone assignment on a home north of US-1 can differ from one on a canal in Gables Estates. We handle that paperwork side by side with your contractor or directly through our permit service, so the window you order matches the window the building department approves.

Frequently Asked Questions - Double Hung Windows

Get a Quote - Double Hung Windows in Coral Gables

Ready to price double hung impact windows for your Coral Gables home? We’ll walk the project with you, confirm the wind zone and design pressure your home requires, and put together a written line-item quote with the NOA or Florida Product Approval documentation included. Call (954) 507-3613 to schedule a free on-site measurement.

Written by the team at TruePane Windows & Doors, serving Coral Gables, FL.