What is a ridge vent end cap, and does every ridge vent need one?
Short answer. A ridge vent end cap, also called an end plug, closes the open end of a shingle-over or metal ridge vent so wind, rain, insects and birds cannot enter through the cut edge. Many rigid ridge vents come with built-in or snap-in end plugs, and the end is then covered with a cap shingle; rolled vents are finished the way their instructions specify.
Where end caps go
At each gable end of a ridge vent, and anywhere the vent stops, such as at a wall or chimney. On a hip roof with a ridge vent, the vent ends where it meets the hips, and the hip caps lap over the end.
Types
- Integrated end plugs: rigid plastic ridge vents often have molded or knock-out end closures that installers set at the first and last section.
- Separate end caps: sold for some vent lines and for older aluminum ridge vents.
- Metal roof ridge caps: finished with end closures or hemmed and sealed ends, with profile closures underneath.
Signs your end cap failed
- A visible dark opening under the last cap shingle at the gable.
- Wasps or birds coming and going at the peak.
- Water stains at the top of a gable wall inside the attic after windy storms.
- A cap shingle lifted or missing at the end after high wind.
Fixing it
The repair is usually small: remove the end cap shingle, insert the correct end plug or a new vent section, and nail a new cap shingle over it with nails long enough to reach through the deck. Expanding foam is a poor substitute that breaks down in sun. If wind lifted the end, check the rest of the ridge too, since short nails tend to affect the whole run. More in wind damage to roofs in Georgia.