Yesterday I received a phone call from our local college informing me that their Stage piano, a Steinway D, was stored beneath an air-conditioning water line and the line burst flooding the piano. I hurried over to the college and inspected the piano. There was water all over the soundboard and some students were sopping it up with paper towels. The damper felts were drenched and were coming unglued. I removed the action and found the backcheck leathers unglued, the rebound felts soaked but not coming unglued, and the hammers were wet but intact. I propped the dampers up off the strings and raised the hammers hoping all will dry in a few days. My question is this: can the leathers and felts be re-used after they dry? Also, although there was no rust showing on the strings, how can I convince them that all the strings should be replaced? I donšt know what to think about the condition of the pinblock. The insurance company will cover the cost, so I guess they are the ones that have to be convinced. Any other advice you can provide will be most welcome. Ted Simmons Merritt Island, FL
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