Most storm checks start on the roof and the gutters, then stop at the wall. The sprinkler controller and the backflow cover are often mounted on that same exterior wall, on the side of the house that took the hail, and both are made of thin plastic or light metal. A hailstone that dents a gutter can crack a controller box in the same pass. Neither part is roof material, but both belong in the photo file for the storm, because the yard often shows where the hail fell before anyone climbs a ladder.
This page covers what to look for on each part, how to photograph them so the pictures hold up later, and what to ask before anyone replaces them. A roofing crew walking the house can note these items during a site visit, but decisions about yard equipment belong to you and to the plumber or irrigation company that services it.
What hail does to a controller box
The controller is the grey or white box, usually about the size of a paperback, mounted near the water supply line. Inside are the timer, the wiring from a low-voltage transformer, and the valve wires that run out to each zone. Hail can crack the plastic lid or the corner where the lid meets the base. Once the lid cracks, water and grit can reach the circuit board, and the display may go dark or start resetting its schedule on its own.
A controller that still lights up after a hailstorm is not automatically sound. Run each zone by hand from the controller and watch it through a full cycle. Look for a zone that does not open, a head that sprays the wrong side of the yard, or a timer that loses its program after a power blip. Any of those can come from the storm, from an old transformer, or from a valve that was already weak, so the test tells you what needs a second look rather than what caused the problem.
What hail does to a backflow cover
The backflow preventer sits on the water line, usually near the front or side of the house, and it is often inside a cover. Many covers are plastic. Some are insulated foam shells with a hinged lid. Hail can split the lid, push the cover off its mount, or crack a side panel so the assembly underneath is exposed.
The assembly under the cover is brass, bronze or plastic, with shutoff valves and test cocks. A dented cover can often be replaced without touching the assembly. An assembly that has been struck, or that shows a crack, a weep from a test cock, or water on the ground after the zone valves are shut off, should be looked at by a licensed plumber before the next hard freeze. A small leak that runs into a cold stretch can split a fitting, and that turns a cover job into a plumbing repair.
Photograph them with a scale and the date
A photo of a dented cover is only useful if someone can tell what it is and where it sits. Take one wide shot that shows the controller or cover in relation to the corner of the house, the gutter line, and the ground. Then take a close shot of the damage with a coin or a tape measure beside it. Keep the phone's date and location settings on so the file carries the time and place each picture was taken.
Send the original files, not screenshots, to anyone who will read them. Screenshots often lose the timestamp and much of the resolution. Name the folder by address and storm date so these pictures stay grouped with the roof photos, the gutter photos and the siding photos from the same walk.
Photograph the damage before you touch anything. If you plan to replace a controller, take the photos before the old box comes off the wall, and keep the old box until the new one is running and the zones have been tested.
What to ask before anyone replaces either part
Ask each company to name the controller model, the transformer rating, and the type of backflow cover it plans to install. A controller replacement can be a simple swap on the same wall, or it can be a different box that needs new mounting holes and new wire landings. Ask which one is in the price.
- Is the controller a like-for-like swap, or does it need a new mounting plate and rewired valve terminals?
- Will each zone be run by hand before the crew leaves, with the results written down?
- Does the backflow assembly need testing after the cover is replaced, and who performs that test?
- Who shuts off the water to the assembly during the work, and for how long?
- Is each item priced on its own line, or bundled into one total?
What it costs
Prices depend on the controller model, how many zones it runs, whether the transformer needs replacing, and whether the backflow assembly is being replaced or only its cover. A cover is usually the smaller line. An assembly with a cracked body is a plumbing repair with its own testing step. No single price fits every yard, so compare quotes on the same list of items rather than on a headline number.
Where this fits with the roof file
Hail that struck a controller box on the wall probably crossed the windward side of the roof above it. Walk the roof edge and the gutter run on that side, then come back to the wall and compare what you found. Keys Roofing can put the roof findings into a written scope with photos and measurements, so you have them in hand when you decide which repairs come first. Missouri law bars a roofing contractor from representing or negotiating your insurance claim, so any question about coverage goes to your insurer.
Order of work after a hailstorm
Once the photos are taken, run the controller test on a dry day, because water near the wiring makes a poor test. Then check the backflow cover and the assembly under it. Finish with the roof, since the roof work sets the schedule and the access route. Put the yard items on the list before the crew arrives, so no one drives a trailer across a cover that is already split. If you have questions about the roof side of the storm, the Keys office can be reached at (314) 220-2333.