In a Tuscany/Mediterranean style house I would go with Casements.

The reason people have a tendency to have problems with the cranks on casements is they have a tendency to try to crank the window in to tight. If you just crank the window in until the sash makes a nice contact with the frame then let the lock do the work in pulling the window in tight to make the seal.

For that reason I do like Pella in that the the lock system only uses one latch handle and that handle latches the lock in multiple places. The handle also folds down which helps you keep in your mind not to over crank the window. Stainless steel hardware also does not rust. The window opens 4 1/2 inches from the frame so you can wash most of the windows from the inside. The Proline is a great value for the price...the drawback to that line is you have to work around stock sizes as it is not a customizable line of windows. Architect Series can be customized but you pay more for it, however you can also get more options such as the rol-screen.

People will try scarring you that the sash is only made with rol form cladding, but the structural strength is in the wood in the sash, and not the cladding, so there is no need for the extruded metal on the sash. They will also claim that the rol-form metal fades faster and that is bunk also. The price on the proline is right in there for a good price point window.

Don't scrimp on the windows as they are a lot harder to change than other areas you can save money on at the offset.

Casement windows are often installed out of plumb. It is a common service call.
Properly installed they are just fine. The crank and hardware are readily replaceable.
I 'd take a look at Kolbe and Kolbe.

All the best,

The PorchGuy

Here is a link that might be useful: My album

With great success, we have used Eagle, Kolbe and Marvin windows. These are three manufacturers that build high quality and very durable products that are also very similarly constructed. We generally seek three bids from each division of our building scope, so we find comfort in these three as the highest quality. The decision between the three is then made based on the manufacturer's ability to meet the project's required specification and of course, the price estimates.

Most all higher-end wood window products today contain standard options like stainless steel hardware, hidden multi-lock casement lock systems, folding cranks and pivoting sashes for ease of cleaning without the requirement for ladders or scaffold. Many offer an array of standard clad color choices and interior wood species.

If you'd like to make an educated decision on your window choice, compare items such as U-value, air infiltration rating, design pressure ratings and warranties. After you have narrowed your selection down based on this criteria, take a look at the individual corner/cut sections of the windows. This is likely the most practical method of foreseeing the durability of a windows construction, if the veiwer has some common sense in how different materials should be joined or applied to each other.

In regards to a previous post, it is true that there is great strength in wood sash or frame construction, just like there has been for hundreds of years. Some companies provide a cosmetic wrap known as roll-formed aluminum cladding over the exterior of the wood, which also helps protect the exterior wood from the elements. Other companies use a heavy gauge extruded aluminum cladding that allows for structural corner jointery within the extrusion and combines with the wood sash to enhance the overall structural integrity of the sash and frame. The latter construction method will likely be found to provide greater DP ratings and potentially a more durable product.

To further comment on the above post, it is true that reputable companies using roll-formed aluminum sash construction do not experience color differentiation between the sash and extruded frame in short time periods. This differs from less reputable companies using the same construction methods in that the correct way to protect the light gauge metal is to utilize a special "kynar" blended paint to assist in color retention. This is critical due to the paint application differences in roll-formed and extruded aluminum. Roll-formed aluminum requires a light flexible paint to allow the metal to be bent or shaped after the paint has cured. Extruded aluminum is already formed, and thus recieves a hard durable paint finish somewhat similar to how a car body is painted.

I personally have nothing against the Pella product noted in the above post. On the contrary, I have a lot of respect for Pella, as a maker of fine products in the Heartland of our country. However, I think that all consumers should receive unbiased information on such critical home fixtures. If you find the price levels of a good quality and highly durable window product out of your home's budget, be sure to closely view the corner sections of each product line within the window manufacturer's different products that fit your budget. My recollection of Proline Series windows from Pella shows that there are more than just options that differentiate that product line from the Designer and Architecture Series, although it might be true that this is what separates the latter two Series. One will only know for sure if they look at the corner/cut sections of the different product lines.

Keep in mind, just because a company excels in one product line, doesn't mean that their other product lines hold the same value. I personally don't agree with manufacturers saturating the market with different product lines and relying on their previous reputation to further sales, but it appears that all companies are doing just that these days. I feel that one should do what one does best and concentrate on doing the best in their immediate field of expertise, so be careful in your window decision. Also, I feel strongly that at all costs, one should push the limits of their home construction budget on the permanent fixtures of the home. This includes, but is not limited to, excavation/soil compaction, foundations, framing components, insulation, interior or hidden plumbing, windows and wiring. Having to re-engineer or replace any of these components in the future can generally cause a major disruption to the whole building envelope.

My apologies for not answering your primary question regarding casement versus single hung type of windows. If I only had those two options, I'd choose the casement type for ventilation purposes, as you are able to achieve twice the amount of ventilation with the casement when in the fully opened position.

However, if I had the option of a double hung type of window, I'd select the double hung. It provides a unique ventilation if operated properly by raising the lower sash and dropping the top sash, thus creating ventilation at both top and bottom together. This creates an air flow or current that helps evacuate hot air from the home and replace it with cooler and fresher outdoor air.

Double hung windows also offer greater protect against the outdoor elements, as the lower sash sets further inside the wall, and the exterior screen deflects rain and snow away from the window. Inevitably, the double hung exterior glass surface stays cleaner for longer periods of time too, due to the exterior screen.

With proper research, one can find quality manufacturers that provide very low air infiltration specifications on both casement and double hung types. Modern wood double hungs built with non-compressible jamb liners provide exceptionally air infiltration benefits not found in older styles. The air infiltration qualities of 1970's to many current 2008 double hung products caused/causes a lot of consumers to option away from double hung type windows. High quality double hung windows can provide exception air-infiltration and Design Pressure ratings very similar to casements, without customizing a manufacturer's standard product line.

We really like the double hung type of window for its traditional value, ventilation attributes and lower succeptibility to the exterior elements versus that of the casement type. I hope that you have found this information helpful.

I just want to say "thank you" for the informative post. Being in the midst of window shopping for our addition, I found myself yesterday having a hard time "seeing the forest for the trees" and becoming mired in extraneous details. This post help me prioritize our needs and look at our window choices more objectively.
Thanks.