Hi Patrick Roger Wheelock from Dampp-chaser replied on the pianotech list, and said the purple blotches are just the dye in the pads concentrating in spots as the water migrates through the pads - nothing to be concerned about. I do believe the mould is a pre-existing condition. I live in a very dry climate (Banff, Alberta), and as long as things stay dry things like mould aren't much of a problem. Summer is a little more humid here (up to 60% or so - 42% today) - not what I would call extreme. Thanks, Bert --- On Tue, 7/6/10, James Patrick Draine <draine at me.com> wrote: > From: James Patrick Draine <draine at me.com> > Subject: Re: [CAUT] Grey Market Mould > To: caut at ptg.org > Received: Tuesday, July 6, 2010, 1:22 PM > Bert, > The purple splotches on the pad seems to be "normal", > apparently depending on the relative purity of the water, > and perhaps interactions with the DC additive. The mold may > have been a pre-existing condition -- I forget where you > live and just how humid it may be at this time of year. > Best wishes, > Patrick Draine > > On Jul 6, 2010, at 10:24 AM, Albert Picknell wrote: > > > Hello List > > > > Sorry for double-posting this query, but I know there > are some of you who are not on the pianotech list... > > > > I have a private client with a grey-market Yamaha > U1H. I installed a Dampp-chaser a couple of months > ago, and now the client is noticing a musty/mouldy smell > that seems to be coming from the piano. Also, when I > went to tune the piano a month or so after installing the > Dampp-chaser, I noticed some purple-coloured blotches on the > humidifier pads. > > > > What I suspect has happened is that the > re-introduction of moisture into the piano has re-awakened > dormant mould spores that have been there since the piano > was brought over from Asia. My first inclination is to > remove the Dampp-chaser, but I'm wondering whether any of > you have dealt with a situation like this before, and have > found any other effective solutions. > > > > By the way, the client has another piano (non-grey > market) in the same apartment, also with a Dampp-chaser in > it, that has no problem. > > > > Thanks, > > Bert > > > > > > > >
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