Water damage

[Richard Brekne]

Its a good possibility that the piano is a total loss. Certainly the action is
is big trouble. The soundboard may manage to survive but it is doubtfull that it
will not be negatively affected in a big way. Did the water get into the
pinblock ?... What about seepage around the rim ?

The wet action parts you mention.... leather and felts and hammers are not going
to be saveable.

You wont know the full extent of the damage for at least a month or so... look
for rust creep as well after a time.

Ted Simmons wrote:

> 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 don¹t 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

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no