Climate Control Installation Time

[Colette Collier]

Keith:

Sorry to have sat so long on your last question.  It has been a busy holiday
season here, even with a large percentage of residents facing the problems
created by the government shutdown!

I said "at least" an hour, but I think I am pretty close to that time.  Total
time in the house, etc. is perhaps 90 minutes.  My two favorite time-saving
tools are my trusty bolt cutters and my Milwaukee cordless screwdriver (thank
you Ruth Brown!).  If you haven't seen this tool at Webb Phillips booth, I'd
recommend it.  You can get an attachment to chuck a small drill into it--and the
screwdriver, drill, and sockets can be changed with one hand!  Not only is it
fast, but it makes it easy to do something over again if it doesn't turn out
right--which also makes for a better installation.

I also have a separate tool kit just for climate control installation--with
extra parts, and the small tools that you need for the job.  Often I do the
installation at a different time than the regular service; it doesn't make any
difference to me, since I make the same money anyway.  But if I'm also tuning, I
just make a few trips into the house.  I also carry one of the old Dampp-Chaser
kit cases (black, remember those?) holding extra rods, humidistat, lights, etc.

Once under the piano, I check three things:  where the humidifier will fit and
do the best job, where the outlet for the system plug is, and where the
humidistat will get the best reading--we want it to pick up the heat from the
register, the front door, etc.  Make the decisions, and get going--just like
setting the temperament (did I spell that right?).  Bend the clips for the
humidifier with a small pliers, and install one side for the humidifier, cutting
the rod to give no more than 1/4" total clearance.  Then use the mylar baffle to
help mark the other end.  Put the pads in, hang the humidifier, check the level,
and mark for the humidistat.  I put it in place, tap the long screws with a
hammer to mark the location, drill, change to the hex bit, put the velcro on,
locate the holes with the screws, press down, and drive the screws.  The rods
can be installed in only a few seconds with the hexdriver bit.  Then start
working on cutting and/or tying the cords.  I find it's faster to cut the cords
and use super-plugs than to fight trying to tie them up.  Cut extra dehumidifier
cords and use add-a-taps.  Also very fast.  Make sure that all cords are tied
separately so that the humidifier can be easily removed for future servicing.

I use at least two half-clips (they cut very quickly with my bolt cutters...)
for the fill tube.  That way you can get a longer piece coming out of the piano
for your client to use.  I demonstrate the filling by putting the first can of
water in, and then while I am packing up, they get the second can.  While I am
loading my car, they are writing the check.

I remember one installation that took a bit longer.  I was eight months
pregnant, and the piano was on a Colson truck...  Luckily, I can sit straight up
under a grand.  Don't call me short.

Happy 1996!

Colette Collier, RPT