Speaking of Humidity control ...

[Gayle Mair]

Dear Wally;

This would not be my recommended way to handle the higher humidity levels
along the
south east coast.  I don't believe the Technician who wanted to sell you his
business used
the higher powered dehumidifiers available now.  My guess is he used 25 watt
units or
perhaps even less.

I'd kill two birds with one stone, and put sufficient wattage (a 50 watt and
a 25 watt
minimum) under the sound board, and expect the reduced moisture content of
the sound
board to reduce the humidity level above the sound board sufficiently to
prevent rusty
strings.  This provides protection all around for the piano.  Of course, I'd
provide
humidistat control.

Now having said this, each situation is different, and I think the answer to
handling
humidity lies with your analysis of each one of these.  For instance, the
piano located in
front of normally open windows in a beach front home requires an approach
that is
different from that employed to protect a piano in an air-conditioned home
where the
windows are never (or rarely) opened.

If you run into the former situation - windows open, beach front home - I'd
provide the
humidity control described above, but I'd add a string cover.  This set up
should produce
exceptional results.  If you don't know about string covers, I'd suggest
calling Edwards
String Covers at 1-408-338-1828.

Good luck.

Best Regards,

Bob Mair
-----Original Message-----
From: Wallace Scherer <WallyTS@compuserve.com>
To: INTERNET:pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Tuesday, June 23, 1998 10:10 PM
Subject: Speaking of Humidity control ...


>I met a piano technician in Florida recently (the one who wanted to sell me
>his business, remember?) who said he sold a lot of the Dampp Chaser heater
>bars for grand pianos, but mounted them over the top of the strings with a
>felt "blanket" over the heater bar. He said he did this because the biggest
>problem with humidity in south Florida was rusting the strings, and not so
>much the wood expansion and shrinkage.
>
>Has anyone else, especially in normally humid areas, used this process?
>
>Wally Scherer, Norfolk, Virginia
>E-mail: WallyTS@iName.com (Please use this new address now!)
>Web page: http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/2411
>"Old piano tuners don't die - they just go beatless."
>
>