Flooded piano workshop

[Jim Ogden]

Hello List,

	Recently I was hired to access damages to a flooded piano workshop.  The
workshop was vandalized as someone put a garden hose in the door mailbox
slot and turned on the water overnight.  In the morning when workmen came to
open up, they found the flood.  I have found water mark lines of up to 1
inch on some of the case parts which were resting on the concrete slab.
Altogether there are 166 pianos is varying degrees of restoration in the
workshop.  The store grands are resting on 2x4s so I think there was no
contact with the water.  The insurance company sent over a flood rescue
team.  They started multiple dehumidifiers and took out all wet carpets in
the office area.  They also removed the bottom 1 1/2 foot of drywall and
molding all along the walls to further air out the facility.

It is now two weeks later as I have taken my first look.  There is no water
smell and no sign of much damage to the pianos.  Some of the case parts on
the slab show minor veneer separation.  The insured owner is understandable
upset and talks about having to re-string and re-pin many of the better
pianos.

My question to the list is this.  Does any know or have any experience with
this type of scenario? Please consider the short term and long term effect.
We all know that repeated exposure to excessive humidity is detrimental to
pianos just as we all know that repeated and violent changes in humidity
have a long term effect on pianos.  What do you think will be the effect on
these pianos that suffered a single incident of excessive humidity?  Keep in
mind that there was no actual contact with the water other than casters and
vertical bottom boards (perhaps)  Does any one know of any studies that I
can go to to verify conclusions.

Thanks for your help.  Jim Ogden RPT