How is Surface Tension an Advantage with Gutter Protection?
Surface Tension – How Does it Work with Gutter Protection?
Interesting Fact: Water defies gravity on a daily basis.
‘How?’ You ask.
Surface Tension.
What is Surface Tension?
Surface tension: “The property of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force, due to the cohesive nature of its molecules.” – USGS.gov.
In other words, water wants to stick together (cohesion) and to the surface it is in contact with (adhesion) – so much so that it can resist external forces such as gravity.
If you stop to think about it, we see this every day.
Everyday Surface Tension
For example, when you put some water on your hand, it will bead up (cohesion) run down your arm (adhesion) until the surface changes at the elbow!
Or what about the frustrating experience when you spill a glass of water on the counter. Instead of all the water falling off the edge of the counter directly to the ground, it follows the edge of the counter top around and runs down the face of your cabinets into your drawers and behind your cabinet doors.
That’s surface tension in a nutshell.
But, what does surface tension have to do with gutter protection? First, let’s explore what gutter protection looks like without surface tension.
Gutter Protection Without Surface Tension
Many leaf filters, guards and screens forget to employ surface tension in their design.
Therefore, they have to create holes in the top of their products to allow water in.
The problem is, these holes allow small debris in as well. Remember, a single tree can drop a tremendous amount of seeds, pollen, sap and needles – more than enough to slip into, or block the holes and clog your gutters and the leaf filter or screen itself.
This means the homeowner has to clean not just his gutters, but his gutter screens too!
Some leaf filters try to side-step this problem by having a micro-mesh screen – too small for anything but dirt and water to enter.
While keeping debris out of the gutter, the micro-mesh has a different problem – the pollen, tree sap, oak tassels and other sticky debris gets trapped on the micro mesh and covers the micro-perforations.
Think of a micro-mesh leaf filter like a furnace filter – the filter keeps dirt from circulating through the house but the dirt eventually clogs the filter and chokes the furnace so it can’t move air once the filter is clogged. Just like that furnace filter, maintenance is required with a gutter filter since huge amounts of debris fall from trees.
The result of a clogged gutter filter is that rainwater has no way to enter the gutters. This can force thousands of gallons of water to flow over your gutters, down the face of your soffit, fascia and siding ending up in a pool around your foundation.
Clearly, a solid gutter cover is needed to prevent these problems.
But, ‘How does water get into your gutter if you have a solid gutter cover that is not a screen?’
How Does Surface Tension Work with Gutter Protection?
Water wants to stick to the surface its already on (adhesion), so when it falls from the sky onto the roof – it’s found its surface! As it rolls down the roof and combines with other water molecules (cohesion), it meets the gutter guard and as a collective group the water molecules clings to the guard (adhesion). 
You might expect the water to encounter the steep curve towards the gutter and give into gravity by flowing off the edge of the cover.
This is where the trick comes in.
Due to surface tension – water has a strong desire to adhere to a surface, therefore, it continues to adhere to the guard – defying gravity – until it meets the gutter.
Really, this is not so different from the way water responds to your kitchen counter and cabinets.
Why Surface Tension is an Advantage for Gutter Guards
The designers of Advantage Gutter Guard® used physics and surface tension to make sure that the curve of the cover was at an angle that maximizes surface tension. This allows the water to defy gravity and cling onto the gutter guard (adhesion) until it is introduced to its next surface – your gutter.
Surface Tension gives the Advantage Gutter Guard® two Advantages:
1. Using surface tension, the Advantage Gutter Guard® is able to be completely solid, while still safely delivering rainwater to its rightful place – the gutter. The water from the roof is directed into the gutter and away from the house, even in the heaviest downpours. The solid surface means no debris can penetrate through the top of the guard.
2. In developing the best angle for surface tension, the Advantage Gutter Guard® designers were able to extend the guard past the front edge of the gutter – creating an angled, tiny entrance that water with its gravity-defying properties can find. This nose forward design is advantageous because it ensures that debris is deflected away from the gutter. Your gutters will not clog, guaranteed!
In essence, Surface Tension is the scientific principle that guarantees the function of the Advantage Gutter Guard®.
Ready For A Gutter Guard That Works?
Tired of leaf filters, screens and covers that have holes and leave you cleaning them out in addition to your gutters?
If you’re ready for a permanent solution, the Advantage Gutter Guard® has a lifetime guarantee that your gutters will never clog again. It also has a company behind it that has helped thousands of happy customers.
Give Advantage Gutter Guard® a chance and get an estimate from Gutter Cover KC. The Gutter Cover KC professional you meet has the goal to “keep water where it belongs”. They will perform a thorough 21-point inspection to make sure that clogged gutters will never cause damage to your home again.
Still having a hard time believing in surface tension? Check out our reviews and BBB reputation. The proof is in the pudding!