pianos in freezing temps.

Richard Brekne Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no
Mon, 11 Sep 2000 18:59:40 +0200


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We probably dont know as much as we should about the effects of extreme
temperature change isolated from all humidity questions. This might have
something to do with the fact that the situation you describe below has a
built in humidity problem. 10 degrees humidity is going to be a dry
environment, and it is highly unlikely that any 70 degree room is not going
to be significantly more humid. On top of that, what humidity there is in
that cold room is going to freeze in the form of frost. Some of that is
going to get into any nick and cranny the piano has and this frost is
certainly going to follow the piano when its moved to the warm room.

The exact effects in each case are going to vary as widely as all the real
parameters involved. Some pianos will resist problems better then others,
there can be varying degrees of initial humidity in the cold room and again
in the warm room later on. Predictability is limited to the knowledge that
one is literally asking for trouble when treating a piano this way, though
in some cases a piano can certainly come through such an experience with
seemingly no problems.

Course now we havent even got into how the finish is affected... I'll leave
that to others.


Tom Driscoll wrote:

> A client asked why a piano shouldnt be in a very cold space, i.e. Winter
> in northern N.E. in an unheated home. Reaction to extreme humidity swings
> is well known, but what actually happens to a piano @10 degrees  F. for
> example when brought to 70 degrees within a few hours. Thanks ,Tom
> Driscoll RPT

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway


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