MasterShield® Announces New MicroVortex™ Gutter Protection Technology

“Impossible cloth” technology is self-cleaning and virtually 100 percent water permeable

RIDGEWOOD, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MasterShield® Gutter Protection (www.mastershield.com), the long-time leader in the gutter guard industry, announces MicroVortex™ cloth technology, the latest in their line of gutter protection innovations. This recently-patented product update was designed to provide homeowners with the ultimate in gutter protection.

“As the leader in gutter guard protection, MasterShield is the ideal long-term investment for every homeowner.”

Equipped with the new MicroVortex cloth technology, MasterShield gutter guards will be able to filter more water, more quickly, thanks to a specific calculation of thread size, density, weave and placement in the micromesh filtration cloth.

In addition, MasterShield has updated its HydroVortex™ technology, which assists in improving and increasing the amount of water the gutter guard can take. The combination of MicroVortex and HydroVortex technologies addresses issues of increasing importance to gutter-concerned homeowners, and results in a 25 percent increase in the volume of water which flows into the gutter and a tenfold increase in ability to self-clean the roof oils that leach from asphalt shingles.

Both MicroVortex and HydroVortex technologies were developed by MasterShield founder, inventor, and gutter guard giant Edward “Alex” Higginbotham, who invented the original micromesh filter screen gutter guards in 1999. Micromesh was first submitted for a patent in 2001.

“We turned the gutter protection industry upside down when we announced MasterShield’s micromesh filtration cloth, and we are doing it again with the introduction of this patented MicroVortex technology,” said Higginbotham. “As the leader in gutter guard protection, MasterShield is the ideal long-term investment for every homeowner.”

The “Impossible Cloth”: How does it work?

Cloths and filters have been used as gutter guard screens for years. The conventional usage is to shrink the size of the filter thread openings to block debris or pollutants.

Before Higginbotham, gutter guard gurus taught that a screen with more than 18 threads-per-inch might keep out more debris but would provide inefficient water permeability, causing water to flow on top of the screen rather than down through it and into the gutter. Using a cloth with more than 18 threads-per-inch to effectively channel water into a gutter was deemed impossible.

However, MasterShield’s new MicroVortex cloth technology utilizes an incredible 120 threads-per-square inch, which allows more water and air to permeate the cloth while blocking debris as small as 50 microns. The cloth contains a defined ratio of threads-per-inch to thread diameter, so it appears solid, but actually has open airspace for water. The “impossible” cloth acts as an opaque barrier to the tiniest debris, yet reacts to water as if it wasn’t even there.

Self-Cleaning System

Keeping gutters free of debris is only half of the MasterShield appeal. Until the discovery of MicroVortex, almost all gutter guards would coat with the oil from roof shingles and required periodic cleaning, regardless of their construction.

Unlike other gutter guards, Higginbotham’s original gutter guard microfilter — and its further development with the new MicroVortex cloth technology — provides a built-in self-cleaning solution. MicroVortex encourages rapid water flow through and around every part of a MasterShield gutter screen, so the oil is cleaned off entirely. No other gutter guard company discloses the impact of oil buildup on gutter guards, let alone offers a solution to the buildup.

The U.S. Patent Office recognized a fifth patent for MasterShield gutter guard microfilters with MicroVortex technology this year. The patent defines microfiltration in gutter guards for the first time, noting that the advanced system in MasterShield surpasses the capabilities of any and all previous microfilter products.

“For the first time ever the patent office has acknowledged the uniqueness and physical characteristics that enable gutter guard microscreens to be self-cleaning,” said Higginbotham. “The homeowner no longer needs to worry about gutter guards that fail or collect roof oil buildup. With the advent of MicroVortex, you have a gutter guard that will keep debris as small as a grain of sand out of your gutter, yet allow in as much water as the gutter can handle.”

To see a visual demonstration of MasterShield in action, view our MicroVortex technology video on YouTube.

History of MasterShield

In 1999, Edward "Alex" Higginbotham developed the technology to allow a microfilter to self clean, thus eliminating the problem of clogging in gutter covers. A self-taught inventor and contractor, Higginbotham is the father of micromesh and the industry’s leading authority in gutter guards.

His micro filtration technology works by completely enclosing a gutter with a fine mesh screen so that the gutter will not become clogged even with the finest debris. His invention of micromesh gutter protection changed the way homeowners think about protecting their homes.

Higginbotham crafted his original gutter guard product, LeafFilter® as the first gutter guard to ever feature micromesh cloth. He later updated the product as MasterShield with the ideal combination of water filtration, flow and self cleaning properties. In addition, MasterShield is the only micromesh gutter guard on the market that can take water vertically or perpendicular to water flow. The MasterShield product incorporates Leaf Release™ non-stick microfilter in the cloth and HydroVortex technology to force water downward through the filter as is falls down the roofline.

Higginbotham’s invention was a breakthrough in the gutter protection industry. He has received five U.S. patents and is consistently rewarded for his continuing advances in gutter technology.

MasterShield Gutter Protection is available for purchase through regional dealer networks and licensed contractors for home installation. For more information on MasterShield’s newest patent, visit our MasterShield Announces New MicroVortex Technology landing page.

About MasterShield

MasterShield is the latest generation of gutter protection from Edward "Alex" Higginbotham, the inventor of micromesh gutter guards. It revolutionized the industry by being the first gutter guard to combine a micro filter with a strong but flexible recycled aluminum body, allowing the product to be installed with the pitch of the roof. MasterShield filters water to 50 microns, about half the width of a human hair, so that nothing but water will enter your gutter. Keeping gutters clear and free flowing helps prevent water damage and eliminates breeding grounds for disease-carrying insects. All MasterShield dealerships are independently owned and operated.

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