I have no idea which windows have what clearance, but if you do have to go with something that's smaller clearance, I can tell you what I did. My windows have 1 3/8 inch within the frame (Anderson). I used 1 inch wood blinds from Bali with an inside mount and 3/8 inch double cellular blinds. The 1 inch wood blinds works as far as the slats go, but the header does stick out, enough that it bothers me and I plan to cover it with a fabric valance. The cellular blinds fit perfectly and I like them much more, they are light weight and very easy to open/close compared to the heavy wood blinds. I have no idea how Roman shades would work. There's no way I could have fit 2" wood blinds on my windows with an inside mount with the clearance I have. I do like an inside mount, hopefully you can find a window set deep enough to let you have the blinds you like!

All of our windows have varying degrees of slip (or make that slam) down-itis. Scares me for my pets safety. We use a variety of things. The most elegant are notched sticks about 1 1/2 wide with a succession of half-width notches up and down the stick. This is set right against the jamb. However with inquisitive little fingers in a rental I would get a selection of 1 inch wide boards, cut to appropriate lengths and slip one tight up against the jamb in the groove where the window would be if it was down and where it would be complicated for a kid to pull it out. Top remove this stick, you have to lift the window's weight up and off the stick, in order to close the window. You could also fiddle around with the little sliding pegs to make sure they are snapping as far out into the little holes as possible. However, often the little holes are very worn and allow the pegs to slip out. If the peg is missing, you can try large sized nails, of an appropriate diameter, inserted into the window frame and through into the jamb. In a pinch I have used double pointed knitting needles, broken chopsticks and the pronger from a french twist hair clip. (Also, like you, books, soda cans, wooden hangers, fireplace tools, sticks of kindling, salvage pieces of lathe .... I can get quite creative.) Nothing will keep me from fresh air at night. Molly

I had single hung AL frame windows in a home I sold about a year and a half ago. they were ok, even though the house was a single story ranch going out side to wash the windows was a pain... some wiwdows were harder to reach from the ground and I still needed a ladder, plus some had flower beds outside under them. that made it harder since I didn't want to tramp down the flowers. I am starting to replace the old wood double hung windows with double hung windows that tilt in to clean. I really like them I have to say it makes cleaning them very easy and worth the price to me because I hate to clean windows so much. I have never cleaned the old windows in the house I am in now and doubt if I ever will clean any of the old windows before they get replaced since its such a hassle.

The reasoning behind this is the manufacturer doesn't make a good DH unit. The vinyl DH's need to be better built and stronger than the others. Anytime you have two fully functional sashes you require a more precise installation with more patience. The Single Hungs are just cheaper to make and easier to hang. Almost idiot proof in most cases. They are also more energy efficient from air infiltration becuase a lot of installers don't take the time to shim the DH unit properly. They end up leaking around the sashes, creating that ever so hated call back. With a stationary top sash they don't have to worry about anything leaking around the upper sash. The downfall of the SH is you can't tilt the sash in for cleaning. This can be quite trouble some for the windows off the ground a ways. There are ways around that for cleaning if shown the proper way. The history of the DH window goes back to the old farm houses that never had AC or Central Air. They would pull the top sash down about six inches and the lower sash up about six inches. This would let the air circulate better in each room by creating the drafting affect (Firefighters call it breathing during a house fire). With todays AC in almost every house the DH windows aren't really required for the drafting situation. You can still get them from almost every dealer. If they are balking at DH's with reasoning like they gave you. I would steer clear of them and start shopping for another supplier. Hope this makes sense to you. God Luck!!!