[CAUT] Humidity Damage

[Mckeever, James I]

Many thanks to those who have replied concerning our humidity problems!

As Kent indicates below, it will be extremely difficult to prove that damage occurred specifically due to the humidity issues.

And long-term damage, probably impossible.

The historical instruments had some specific damage that I can "prove."  The modern pianos need an extra tuning, but nothing else is visible.

Here is what I have been told by one of the leading fortepiano builders and by a highly respected RPT (Steinway trained).  The older modern pianos, especially, could have suffered subtle damage.  Wood fibers could be damaged when high humidity caused wood to expand and vice versa for low.  Pins could be loosened.
Also, in actions, felt could be compressed by expanding wood, and not return when the wood shrinks, requiring regulation.

I am a career pianist, and not knowledgeable about any of this! I know when I like a piano, and can tell subtle differences in actions, and that's all!  So I need to rely on the experts here!

Even if some of the above is true for some instruments, I can't prove it.

Further comments would be welcome.

Thanks,

James McKeever
University of Wisconsin-Parkside  



-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Kent Swafford
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2011 8:58 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Humidity Damage

I agree with Fred's post, and question whether there is any basis at all for any insurance claim as a result of this episode. How could one document that soundboard cracks were not present before the current episode? Even the broken strings might have been avoided with "normal" pitch corrections known to be needed for harpsichords and other historical instruments when subjected to high humidity.

Kent Swafford


On Jan 3, 2011, at 8:45 PM, Fred Sturm wrote:

> In general, five weeks of 80% humidity followed by 2 weeks of 20% is normal - not advisable, certainly not ideal, but conditions that perhaps the majority of pianos in the midwest experience every year, except that the periods of high and low are longer. Does this cause damage? Probably, especially in repeated cycles. Is it quantifiable for insurance purposes? Probably not, unless you have soundboard cracks. I guess I would say it is unlikely that anything "major" will show up in the future due to this one time occurrence. (The string breakage i the historic instruments was probably from the pitch going extremely sharp, far sharper than in pianos with metal plates)