[CAUT] Smoke damage

[Greg Newell]

Bill, :-)

         I fully realize that there may be things that crop up 
decades later but can you definitively say that they happened as a 
result of a house fire decades ago. I have my doubts. Irregardless, 
I, myself, and perhaps many piano owners are quite likely to be happy 
with the extra few decades as opposed to scrapping the instrument prematurely.
My 2 cents.

Greg Newell


At 11:23 AM 2/9/2007, you wrote:
>Gene
>
>There are always exceptions. You just happen to get a piano
>that "survived" a fire. But I have been at the other end of that
>spectrum, too. I have seen pianos where the insurance company only
>offered to clean the case and remove the rust from the strings, only
>to have the piano suffer major damage years later. As I mentioned in
>my post, some of these problems don't show up for 20 - 30 years later.
>Even with your piano, up to now it's been fine. But in another 10
>years, when the pinblock starts delaminating, you are in a position to
>correct it. But a customer would have to pay out of pocket.
>
>I was just trying to give Joel a heads up on this.
>
>Wim
>
>Quoting Greg Newell <gnewell at ameritech.net>:
>
> > Joel, Wim & list,
> >          I suggest that you don't immediately jump to conclusions
> > here. A story,if you will allow;
> >          A few years ago I had a victim of a house fire contact me
> > regarding purchasing her piano that had been through a fire. This
> > person had contacted several other technicians who told her that the
> >
> > piano would cost upwards of $30k to rebuild and that it simply wasn't
> >
> > worth it. The fire had been in the basement of the opposite end of
> > the house, started by a candle making hobby in the basement. The wax
> >
> > spilled or something and the fire got out of control almost
> > instantly. The firemen came, put out the fire, and we're lucky enough
> >
> > to localize their efforts to mostly the one end of the house. Since
> > there was an abundance of soot and smell the insurance company
> > considered everything a total loss and paid out big! After the
> > reconstruction began I got the call asking if I was interested in the
> >
> > piano. When I went to look I found that really only soot and smell
> > had reached the area where the piano was. I wasn't too afraid of a
> > little clean up and perhaps even a re-stringing. The finish, a black
> >
> > high polish finish, cleaned up very nicely and the insides cleaned up
> >
> > quite well too with some time and alcohol and Q-tips. The smell went
> >
> > away on it's own after a year or two and it has been rented out for
> > special occasions since then to rather high brow events with
> > absolutely no complaints. Fearing the worst I only paid about $2k for
> >
> > the piano. BTW, it's a  6 1/2 ' Bosey!!!!
> >          Think twice about it, eh?
> >
> > all the best,
> > Greg Newell
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > At 05:21 PM 2/8/2007, you wrote:
> > >Quoting Joel Levine <involumes1 at cox.net>:
> > >
> > > > I am in the process of putting together for insurance purposes a
> > > > quote on an older smoke damaged Wurlitzer grand piano.  The fire
> > > > occurred in a new addition, away from the living room where the
> > piano
> > > > is located.  Supposedly the restoration company cleaned up the
> > house
> > > > but a strong smoke smell remains.  There is no visible damage to
> > the
> > > > piano but I suspect there could be possible effects from humidity
> > and
> > > > lack of heat overnight.  Also, at this point it is impossible to
> > > > determine if the smoke smell is imbedded in the piano.  I was
> > > > planning to change the hammers on this piano before this fire
> > > > happened, as it appears someone in the past refinished it and
> > > > repinned it but neglected to change the hammers.  I am also
> > assuming
> > > > the hammers will retain a smoke smell as well as the wood
> > especially
> > > > in the action.
> > > > Any ideas on how to quote this besides carefully?
> > > > Thanks,
> > > > Joel Levine
> > >
> > >Joel
> > >
> > >Besides the hammers, all felt in the piano, including understring,
> > >key bushing, dampers, etc., will retain that smoke smell, not to
> > >mention the wood itself. The other thing to look for is soot or
> > rust
> > >on the strings. Not where you can see it, and remove it with
> > >steel wool, but at the pressure points, under capo bars, through
> > >agrafs, and on the coils on the pins. If there is any effects of
> > the
> > >fire on the strings, they should be replaced. You need to ask the
> > fire
> > >inspector what temperature was in the room with the piano. Very
> > high
> > >heat will dry out the pin block, and it should be replaced.
> > >
> > >The problem with fire damage is that most of the problems resulting
> > >from a fire don't show up until 20 - 30 years later, long after the
> > >claim has been settled. I am working on a Kimball grand right now
> > that
> > >was in a fire 40 years ago. It took this long for the pin block to
> > >totally give out. I just pulled the plate, and there is soot on the
> > >soundboard under the plate.
> > >
> > >Unfortunately, unless the owners have replacement value insurance,
> > the
> > >cost of totally rebuilding the piano will be far more than the
> > piano
> > >was worth, or what it will be worth once it has been restored.
> > >
> > >You will need to give an appraisal of the piano before the fire,
> > what
> > >the piano will be worth after it has been repaired, and the price of
> > a
> > >comparable new grand piano. Be sure the customer pays you for the
> > >estimate/appraisal.
> > >
> > >Willem Blees, RPT
> > >Piano Tuner/Technician
> > >School of Music
> > >University of Alabama
> > >Tuscaloosa, AL USA
> >
> >
>
>
>Willem Blees, RPT
>Piano Tuner/Technician
>School of Music
>University of Alabama
>Tuscaloosa, AL USA
>205-348-1469