Damp-Chaser in Texas

[Cy Shuster]

One of the effects of today's central air conditioning is the requirement for the air to be completely exchanged in each room several times a day.  This exacerbates the effect of low humidity if not otherwise controlled.  In addition, it's usually shut off at night and weekends.  The CAUT Guidelines detail these effects on page 17 (the link is under the picture, "Guidelines for Effective Institutional Piano Maintenance"):
http://www.ptg.org/caut.php/guidlines_pg.htm

Churches are a good candidate for Dampp-Chasers (note the two "p"s; important if you want to find their website, www.dampp-chaser.com.  What's the history behind that, anyway: a previous trademark?).  Churches typically turn on the heat only on Wednesday and Sunday, throwing the piano through seasonal changes twice a week that happen in customers' homes only twice a year.  And they're often better at keeping water in them than schools (I was going to say "religious about maintenance", but changed my mind).

Since I'm moving back to Albuquerque, New Mexico in June, I'm very interested in this topic.  It seems that new pianos in customers' homes probably won't need humidity control, since they're already seasoned for this climate (caveats for gray market pianos, etc.).  But I would certainly be concerned about someone moving a ten-year-old piano from, say, Seattle to the southwest.  After acclimating to high humidity, it might fall apart with a quick change to 15% RH, no?

I also wonder if a new or old piano might not have less tone and sustain at 15% RH instead of 50% RH, because of less stiffness in the soundboard assembly?

--Cy--
shusterpiano.com
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Richard Morgan 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2006 9:44 AM
  Subject: Damp-Chaser in Texas


  Do you Texas techs sell or encourage the use of Damp-Chasers?  One of my mentors feels that in today's central air-conditioned buildings it is no longer necessary.  I've tuned for several churches, though, and wonder if a Damp-Chaser might be advisable in that context.

  Thanks,
  Richard Morgan
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