Should a ridge vent go to the edge of the roof?
Why the edge is a weak spot
Wind hits a gable end harder than any other part of the ridge. Air rushing up and over the rake can push rain sideways into an open vent end, and the last foot or two of ridge is also where squirrels and wasps look for a way in. Keeping the cut short of the edge means water that gets past the vent end lands on solid decking and underlayment instead of falling into the attic.
How the end is finished
- Solid deck margin: the slot ends a few inches in from the outside of the rake, so the vent's last section sits on solid wood.
- End closures: most shingle-over vents have end plugs or a closed end piece. Rolled vents are trimmed and closed per the instructions.
- Cap shingles: caps run to the edge, and the last cap is nailed through solid deck and trimmed neatly at the overhang.
- Clean rake trim: the drip edge and rake shingles need to finish tight under the vent end so there is no visible gap.
Signs the edge was done wrong
Water stains in the attic right at the gable end of the ridge, daylight visible at the very end of the peak, wasp nests on the end rafters, or a vent end that is open and visible from the ground. Each one usually traces back to a slot cut all the way to the edge or a missing end closure. The fix is often small: close the last few inches of slot with decking and add the end closure. For the rest of the detail see ridge vent vs box vents and roof anatomy explained.