As the summer progresses, severe storms become increasingly more likely across many parts of Canada. June and July are the peak of the Canadian tornado season, and the Atlantic hurricane season runs later into the fall and ends in November.

Canadian homeowners should be aware of how storm season affects them in their areas, and they should prepare their homes for the hazards. A home's windows are particularly weak spots when it comes to providing protection against a severe storm, so homeowners should take special care to fortify their windows in early June.

The following are the most basic steps in protecting your windows from severe weather hazards caused by tornado and hurricane seasons:

Get high-impact glass

Investing in high-impact glass for your windows is a good idea if you live in an area that's prone to severe summertime tornadoes or hurricanes. Although high-impact glass will be a little more expensive than traditional window glass, it will look the same as standard window glass. 

High-impact window glass is generally designed with two different panes with a plastic film layer in between. 

Use hurricane film

Many homeowners tape up their windows to protect them from stormy weather. However, hurricane film is generally a much more effective option.

Hurricane film only needs to be applied to a window once, and it provides more protection than tape alone. Because hurricane film blends in well with the window, it can be left up year round without detracting from a window's appearance. 

Hurricane film not only offers the benefit of increasing a window's strength, but it also typically will block ultraviolet light from penetrating into a home. Over time, this ultraviolet light could bleach carpet and other materials. 

Install hurricane shutters

Hurricane shutters are another permanent solution that can be easily put in place when a storm is coming and moved to the side when the threat of the storm has passed. 

Get plywood to board up windows

An alternative to storm shutters, plywood boards can be used to cover windows during storms. Unlike storm shutters, they will not permanently alter the appearance of a home and can simply be put away in storage when storm season has passed.  

Cut back trees and other landscaping

Branches hanging close to windows pose a severe safety threat during storm season. Look closely at your home's landscaping features as the storm season approaches and make sure that there are no low hanging branches that are likely to be blown against your windows by heavy winds. 

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