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Gutter
Cleaning | Gutter
Protection | Air
Duct/Dryer Vent Cleaning | Chimney
Cap Installation |
Insect
Light Traps | Fly
Control | Animal
Control |
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COMPRESSION FORCE CHARACTERISTICS
Both accelerated weathering tests and
mechanical property evaluations have
confirmed the superb quality and product
integrity of the "multi-polymer" thermally
fused gutter filtration system supplied
by Leaf Defier This patent pending/proprietary
technology has been tested by an independent
quality assurance laboratory and the
results detail the value added nature
of this innovative product for the gutter
protection industry.
After testing at 1000 hours and 4500
hours (equivalent to 5 years exposure)
of Xenon light chamber exposure, the
"multi-Polymer" fusion coated material
(TYPE 1 [Leaf Defier]) retained more
than 60 % of its original strength and
integrity. The "chemically coated" product
(TYPE 2) tested in the same chamber
in side by side comparison tests, retained
only 35 % of its structural integrity.
The "untreated" (TYPE 3 & 4) urethane
filtration media (also tested in side
by side comparison) retained only 18
% and 23 % of their inherent strength
from the first stress point of 1000
hours.
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In short the force needed to deflect
the XENON exposed "multi-polymer" fusion
coated product (TYPE 1 [Leaf Defier])
by 50 % after 4500 hours of exposure
(equivalent to five years UV exposure)
was 28.44 % of the force needed to deflect
the unexposed material. All other materials
show significantly inferior performance
at the maximum exposure time of 4500
hours.
SURFACE DEGRADATION
CHARACTERISTICS
In all polymer plastics and coated materials
the "surface erosion and degradation"
over time is a very debilitating parameter
for the polymer matrix and its ability
to function properly. The Ultraviolet
light from the sun and severe weathering
conditions have the most pronounced
effect at the surface of the polymer
matrix where in fact the true protection
the plastic provides is compromised.
As a result the long term protection
that the polymer provides is most critical
at this surface where the material is
exposed to the elements of nature and
subject to reduced performance over
time.
After the XENON arc chamber study was
completed, all four materials were brushed
to remove any loose or flaking polymer
on the surface exposed in the weathering
chamber to the UV simulated light. This
is the critical surface in terms of
performance, as any failure due to UV
exposure and severe weather conditions
will be most apparent on this Xenon
exposed surface of the material. As
this surface slowly degrades with exposure
to the elements the inherent protection
of the material becomes less effective
and the product will fail to provide
the long-term integrity that is required
for gutter protection systems. As we
can see here the sample heights before
and after exposure in the weathering
chamber certainly give a clearer picture
of the higher value provided by the
"multi-polymer" fusion coated product
(TYPE 1 [Leaf Defier]). After the materials
were taken from the test chamber and
brushed, the sample heights were then
measured to one thousandth of an inch
with the following results noted:
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As the above table indicates, the %
loss or exposed surface degradation
was minimal with the TYPE 1 (Leaf Defier)"multi-polymer"
fusion coated product available from
Leaf Defier. The surface degradation
with this "multi-polymer" material is
LESS THAN one tenth of 1 % as compared
to significant losses in surface character
with the other materials tested.
With this type of long term resistance
to surface degradation and product erosion
we can see why the "multi-polymer" gutter
protection material from Leaf Defier
performed so well in both the UV stability/weathering
and mechanical properties testing of
this independent study. This patent
pending/proprietary technology of Leaf
Defier has provided the gutter protection
marketplace with a thermally fused composite
that is a significant value added material
for this industry.
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Testing Parameters and Protocol
Leaf Defier has employed an outside
testing facility that specializes in
cellular plastics performance testing.
They exposed our Patent Pending / Proprietary
Leaf Defier Materials in a Xenon (IR/UV)
GUV (UV) 4500 hour testing process,
simulating five (5) years of all possible
weather conditions including, but not
limited to, ultraviolet and infrared
radiation, salt/fog spray for corrosion,
high/low humidity, chemical fog, fine-to-course
particulate exposure, freeze/thaw and
fine mist to water spray/immersion.
This accelerated laboratory exposure
program uses state of the art weathering
equipment Xenon (IR/UV) GUV (UV) as
follows:
- The testing procedure was an eight
month process where materials were
tested for physical characteristics
at 0(baseline), 1000, 2200 and 4500
hours.
- At each hour mark, product was
removed and tested for, but not
limited to, tensile strength, tear
strength, elongation, density, compression
force deflection, surface degradation
etc.
- That information is then recorded
and compared to the non-exposed
foam specifications in order to
get a better idea of the endurance
and degradation of the product over
a simulated time.
This testing was done in accordance
to ASTM G 26-96, ASTM 155-A testing
methods common to exterior plastics
for building materials.
FIRE
TEST CHARACTERISTICS
In addition to the weathering tests,
this "multi polymer" thermally fused
material was subjected to both UL-94
H testing protocol and the standard
84 Methenamine Pill Test in our laboratory
at Leaf Defier. The fused material was
successful in passing both tests. The
photographs below show the startling
results of the more severe Methenamine
Pill Test, where the test samples were
cut from the same block of foam and
one 10 X 10 X 3.25 inch sample was treated
with the thermally fused post cure protection
and the other sample was left untreated.
As noted in the photographs, the untreated
sample burned completely through the
foam block, while the thermally fused
material was essentially unaffected
by the ignition of the Methenamine Pill.
This kind of performance certainly sets
the "multi polymer" thermally fused
material at a very high value added
level versus the other cellular gutter
protection systems currently available
to the industry.
In the pill test Lily tablets (# 1588)
were used to test two samples that were
of equal volume. The thermally fused
material after a one-minute burn time
showed a 1cm depression at the pill
contact site with an outside diameter
of 2.5 cm.
The uncoated "raw" sample was completely
burned through the entire block (8 cm
thick) in less than 30 seconds. The
burn radius was in excess of 16 cm on
the surface of the sample. The Methenamine
Pill has a flash point temperature of
250 degrees Centigrade or 482 degrees
Fahrenheit, which would substantially
exceed any temperature that would come
in contact with the thermally fused
gutter protection surface from chimney
embers or wood burning stove exhaust.
In short, the fused polymer material
provides a substantial level of protection
for almost any gutter system.
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