[CAUT] Water Damage to Practice Room U1s

[lafargue@bellsouth.net]

Bill,
Having seen over 200 flooded pianos after the hurricanes and many floods
over the last 20 years, I've seen a lot of this. Be glad they've been in
clean water and not sewerage/swamp water.   The Yamahas, by far, fair
the best.  The glue and joinery holds much better than all other brands.
You being in a climate that is both wet and dry, I would suggest
Dampp-chasers to stabilize and minimize future expansion and contraction
that may expedite weakening.  I have regularly seen both Yamaha grands
and uprights that were completely under water, that still had good glue
joints throughout (no we don't save the submerged ones).  If not for the
action, particle board, and strings (for the most part) the piano looks
pretty normal.  As for the long term, I have repaired pianos (like
restringing and action work) and not had a significant number come back
with rib, pinblock, or bridge problems.  Overall, Yamahas do well under
water. 

The rusted strings can be rubbed with scotchbrite, then treated with a
chemical called CRC.  I would not apply to the windings, though.  This
stuff seals the pores of the steel, stopping the oxidation process.
Tight balance rail holes are normal here in LA.  I mic the pin and chuck
a drill bit of the appropriate size >BACKWARDS< in a T-handle to quickly
ease them from below when they are just slightly tight.  Also, ironing
the key bushings and using McLube on the key pins and capstans gets that
working slick again.  Good luck.      

Lance Lafargue, RPT
LAFARGUE PIANOS, LTD
New Orleans Chapter, PTG
985.72P.IANO
lafargue@bellsouth.net
www.lpianos.com
 
 
 


> -----Original Message-----
> From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On 
> Behalf Of william ballard
> Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2006 9:48 AM
> To: caut@ptg.org
> Subject: [CAUT] Water Damage to Practice Room U1s
> 
> 
> Dear Lists,
> 
> On Monday at a local private school, the valves on fire sprinkler  
> systems failed in two practice rooms failed, and two Yamaha U1s (2 y- 
> o, both) got rained on. Preliminary inspection after a day of 
> sitting  
> in a dry room with case panels off revealed (and compared to T116s  
> down the hall which escaped damage) only loose plate bolts (a 
> sign of  
> expanding then shrinking backframes), tight balance rail 
> holes on the  
> keys (possibly transitory as the keys return to normal moisture  
> content), and in one piano (the worst hit) what appears to be  
> swelling of bass bichord and treble trichord damper felts. These are  
> all easy matters to deal with.
> 
> The other concern for which I'm writing the two lists is the long  
> range on. The water level at the follor in these twos rooms was high  
> enough (6" according to reports), that after the rooms' accumulated  
> water had exited through opened doors, there was water draining out  
> of the bottom of the insides of the two pianos. Once the situation  
> was known, students went to work immediately drying off anything in  
> the piano which they didn't feel scared to touch with towels. When I  
> inspected the pianos the next day, all seemed fine. But that still  
> leaves maybe two possible three hours during which the insides and  
> outsides of the floor levels of these piano were immersed in water.
> 
> I'm planning next week to put each of these pianos on its back and  
> inspect the joinery of the backposts and the spacers. Any warning  
> signs to look out for?
> 
> More generally, has anyone nursed new pianos (presumably with resin  
> core panels) back from such a disaster and can offer the long view,  
> say six months to a year?
> 
> Thanks in advance for your replies
> 
> Bill Ballard RPT
> NH Chapter, P.T.G.
> wbps@vermontel.net
> 
> "Lydia thinks she knows everything, and Lyle thinks he owns the place"
>      ...........The outgoing staff technician to the new guy,  
> concerning the resident artiste/pianist and the Chief Custodian
> +++++++++++++++++++++
> 
> 
> 
> william ballard
> wbps@vermontel.net
> 
> 
> 
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