How MasterShield Works

The team at MasterShield Gutter Guard Protection are the leaders in micro-filtration performance and technology. Microfiltration has received more critical acclaim than any other gutter guard design. What more can be said than “the Holy Grail of Gutter Protection” as coined by a Master Builder, specifically Tim Carter, of AsktheBuilder.com.

Microfiltration gutter protection was invented by Alex Higginbotham. His technology was given the highest ratings by a leading consumer testing magazine in their dealer installed and DIY categories.

With MasterShield, you can rest assured you’re installing the latest advancements the industry has to offer. In fact, our team has brought about many firsts in the gutter protection industry:

Unique Features

    • The only under-the-shingle micro filter gutter guard with the Shingle-Safe™ back.  This type of installation has been approved by four of the nation’s largest shingle manufacturers.
    • The first gutter guard designed to be pitched with the roof to minimize homeowner maintenance
    • The only gutter guard with a customizable, flexible back to adjust to multiple types of installations
    • The first gutter guard with a built-in solution to dripping
    • The only gutter guard capable of filtering water vertically
    • The first interlocking micro mesh gutter protection system
    • The first roll formed gutter guard to feature built in I-beams for added strength

MasterShield FAQ

MasterShield limits its openings so only the tiniest particles can pass through – less than 50 microns. That’s about half the diameter of a human hair. MasterShield’s MicroVortex micro mesh, which we call the “Impossible Cloth” and our HydroVortex action, allowing us to take water in at the pitch of your roof –even vertical– makes the difference.

MasterShield will work on most types of roof and installs on most gutters, including K-style, ogee, half rounds, internal and Yankee gutters. The product should not be installed on roofs with rubber membranes, or on metal roofs that lack adequate snow guards. MasterShield can be installed below wood shingles as long as the shingles are not subsequently treated in any way with a waterproof coating or sealant, as this would obviously waterproof and permanently damage the system’s filter.

No they cannot. In fact MasterShield dealers offer the first bird and bee’s nest guarantee in the industry. Since a gutter protected by MasterShield is completely enclosed, there is no way for birds or bees to get into the gutter or underneath the system to nest. Other gutter covers can be dry, safe and attractive places for birds and bees to nest. However, since most of MasterShield’s surface lets water through, it doesn’t create an attractive nesting environment.

MasterShield consists of an aluminium housing coated with a baked-on enamel finish that’s guaranteed not to crack, chip or blister. The .019 gauge aluminium housing (increasing to .0264 over the gutter with the addition of the stainless steel filter) is manufactured from 95% recycled aluminium. It is one of the most common coil gauges used in the industry and makes the system adaptable to the imperfect conditions often found at the roofline and fascia. A gutter guard must be as flexible as the gutter in order to adjust to the pitch necessary to direct water towards the downspout and away from your home.

There are two methods of achieving strength in aluminium gutter guard bodies. The simple method is to increase the thickness of the metal used, which unfortunately presents a number of problems in practice (such as lifting shingles, potentially voiding shingle manufacturer warranties). A second, preferred method is to use slightly thinner metal, but to incorporate a number of bends in it, which add strength and rigidity while allowing the product to remain flexible and adaptable. The profile of MasterShield actually contains more strengthening “bends” than any other guard on the market today.

The surface is fitted with a surgical grade, 316 stainless steel filter (ours meets ASTM International standards) and is specially woven in a way that creates our unique non-stick surface. It provides excellent resistance to corrosion, even in sea coast environments. Using 316 stainless may seem a little over-engineered, but it was the natural choice for our gutter guards since it offers superior strength compared to the low-carbon version (316L) used by other products.

While it’s not often seen, if excessive amounts of moss, lichen, tree sap or pine resin tend to build up on your roof, the exposed surface of the system may require periodic maintenance to prevent organic build-up and minor runoff. Copper or zinc strips installed above the gutter can kill moss, mold and mildew spores which might otherwise find their way onto the product. New or very old roofs, or roof shingles that have been cut or torn, may cause roof tar to leak onto the system. In such cases, the exposed surface of the system may require a simple spot cleaning with a recommended cleaning product to eliminate any tar residue.

As we noted above, you may occasionally have to brush off sections of MasterShield if you have a part of your roof that naturally collects debris as this can cause excessive debris to sit on the system and impact performance.

MasterShield puts gutter protection and performance first. It is the next generation of microfilter gutter guards from industry inventor Alex Higginbotham, who created the critically acclaimed underlying microfiltration technology. He was awarded the first and several subsequent patents for his revolutionary way to protect a gutter.

Through LeafFilter®, his first commercial success, he pioneered his technology’s first real-world application−millions of feet of it have been installed. Right from the start, he took the feedback he got from installers and owners, went back to the drawing board and took his technology in a new direction. One of these changes led to an industry first: adding a surgical grade, stainless steel microfilter to a gutter guard.

MasterShield has the latest discoveries to further raise the bar on protection. Your home can be protected by everything new that’s been accomplished in the field through our exclusive partnership with Alex Higginbotham. A MasterShield system protecting your home ensures you’re getting the latest and best he has to offer the industry.

MasterShield has taken a quantum leap forward in gutter protection by using this patented, self-cleaning filtration to keep all debris out, but let rainwater in, even when the filter is pitched with the roof. Filters are the best way to separate liquids from solids and, in finding the most effective way to apply an advanced water filtration system to gutter protection, we’ve raised the performance bar for the industry.

Unique to MasterShield, our MicroVortex non-stick micromesh stainless steel filter woven only for us and exclusive, patented HydroVortex technology that allows us to be the only micro mesh gutter guard that doesn’t have to be installed virtually flat by creating a self-cleaning water vacuum that quickly siphons rainwater into the gutter. MasterShield’s superior technology will ensure years of worry-free protection for your home.