What is a ridge cap end closure?
On metal roofs
- End caps or gable end closures: small formed pieces that close the triangular opening at each end of the ridge cap, usually fastened and sealed over the rake trim.
- Outside foam closures: strips shaped to the panel's rib profile, installed under the ridge cap so there is no open gap between ribs.
- Vented closures: profile matched closures with a mesh or filter that let attic air exit at the ridge while blocking rain and pests.
- Z closures: on standing seam roofs, metal Z bars fastened across the panels give the ridge cap something to attach to without screwing through the panel flats.
Missing or deteriorated closures are a common source of wasp nests, birds and blown in rain on metal roofs. In Georgia, wasps and mud daubers find open ridge ends quickly.
On shingle roofs
Shingle ridges do not use a separate closure piece. The roofer finishes the end with a final cap piece whose nailing strip is cut off, face nails it, and seals the nail heads. Where there is a ridge vent, the vent slot in the decking typically stops several inches short of the gable end per the vent maker's instructions, so the last section of cap sits on solid wood and the end stays weathertight.
Signs of trouble
Daylight at the ridge end from the attic, nesting activity, rust streaks at the gable, or water stains at the top of a gable wall. See metal roofing in Georgia and roof flashing explained.