Kingston, RI Roof Replacement: A Colonial Slate Roof With Continuous Ridge Vent Instead of Box Vents

Like most Pinnacle projects, the work was completed efficiently — minimizing disruption for the property owner.

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With its blue lap siding, attached sunroom, and a row of deck-mounted skylights framing the roofline, this Kingston home wears its new multi-tone Colonial Slate CertainTeed Landmark shingles beautifully. Along the peak runs a single, uninterrupted ridge vent — and that choice, a continuous ridge vent instead of a scattering of box vents, is what makes the whole attic breathe evenly.

Scope of Work

This was a full asphalt-shingle replacement finished in Colonial Slate, with the attic ventilation planned as an integral part of the roof. Rather than punching in several box vents, our crew cut one continuous slot along the ridge and installed a low-profile ridge vent across the full length of the peak, then confirmed clear intake at the eaves to feed it. The multiple deck-mounted skylights were reflashed watertight, the ridge-cap shingles were laid to hide the vent, and new aluminum gutters kept runoff moving cleanly off the eaves. See how the system is sized on our Attic Ventilation Solutions page.

What We Installed (And Why)

The exhaust for this roof is a continuous ridge vent that runs the entire length of the Colonial Slate peak, concealed beneath the ridge-cap shingles. The reason we favor it over box vents comes down to coverage. Box vents — those small square hoods you see dotted across some roofs — only pull air from the area immediately around each one, leaving stagnant pockets in between. A continuous ridge vent exhausts warm air uniformly along the entire ridge, so the whole attic ventilates instead of just a few spots.

It also outperforms box vents on the details that matter in Rhode Island. With no moving parts, there is nothing to seize or wear out like a spinning turbine, and the low-profile design is baffled to keep wind-driven rain and snow out while still letting air escape. Fewer roof penetrations means fewer potential leak points, too. Paired with balanced intake at the eaves, the ridge vent creates a steady, self-driven loop of air that protects the new CertainTeed Landmark shingles from both summer heat and winter moisture.

Project Photo Gallery

Continuous ridge vent runs the length of the finished Colonial Slate roof peak

Clean ridge line on the completed Colonial Slate roof

Balanced intake at the eaves completes the ventilation system

Good To Know: Ridge vent or box vents — what’s the difference?

Both are exhaust vents, but they work very differently. Box vents are individual openings spaced across the upper roof, so ventilation is only as good as their number and placement, and each one is another hole in the roof. A continuous ridge vent is a single low-profile strip that runs the full peak, exhausting the whole attic evenly and blending into the ridgeline. For most homes, the ridge vent delivers more consistent airflow with a cleaner look and fewer penetrations — which is why we build it into our roofs.

Why Ridge Vent Ventilation Works

A balanced system pairs low intake at the eaves with high exhaust at the ridge, with roughly equal net free area on each side. Warm air rises and exits at the peak while cool air is continuously drawn in at the bottom, so the attic ventilates on its own with no fans or maintenance. Because the ridge vent spans the full peak, that airflow reaches every corner of the attic — steadier and more complete than isolated box vents can manage, and better for the shingles and the home beneath them.

Why Pinnacle

Pinnacle Roofing & Skylights has protected Rhode Island homes since 2012, and proper attic ventilation is built into every roof we install rather than sold as an extra. We are fully licensed in Rhode Island (Residential #39446, Commercial #261), a CertainTeed ShingleMaster Premier contractor, BBB A+ accredited, and members of the NRCA and RIBA. With more than 100 five-star Google reviews, Kingston homeowners count on us for roofs that look sharp and vent the way they should.

Kingston, RI

Kingston is a classic South County village — home to the University of Rhode Island, historic tree-lined streets, and a mix of antique colonials and newer family homes. It is a place where character and upkeep both matter, and a well-vented roof quietly protects that investment. Homeowners can learn more on our Kingston roofing services page.