Just as I came back from doing house calls today, I had a very disturbing message on my answering machine. There was a fire just downstairs from the music department at the university where I just had finished tuning all 27 pianos during the fall break. I have to go and evaluate the dammages tomorrow morning. From what I was told, there was only smoke... but I suspect heat as well. There are about 20 UF-1, 2 disklavier (G-2) 1 C-3 and 2 C6-F. What scares the hell out of me is _NOT_ knowing what are the long term effect of smoke on strings and Electronics components of the disklaviers. Have any of you been confronted with such a situation? Should I just quote an estimate for cleaning and tuning (I suspect the heat will have trown my tunings out), or should I leave a doubt in my estimate as far as the long term problems that could develop in the years to come. I think mainly of soundboard integrity; can the heat affect the glue joints? Is there a way to find out at this stage or will I just have to wait and then after all the insurance claims are over, in 2 or 3 years come back to them and then admit that I was wrong and that the pianos all need new soundboards. Please, I need feedback. Thanks in advance, Marcel Carey, RPT
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