Pianos in the Deep Freeze

[Will Truitt]

I would appreciate the advice of those of you on the list pertaining to this
topic:  One of my customers is the pianist for a 200 year old congregational
church here in New Hampshire.  Because of the very high cost of heating oil
this winter, the church has decided to turn the heat off completely between
Sundays.  It's a big, airy church with no insulation in the walls and single
pane windows.  So, a day or so after services, the interior temperatures
will nearly match whatever they are outdoors.  

 

Presently, the pianist is using an old upright that has one foot in the
grave.  The church music committee has just given her $15.000 to buy a new
grand piano.  But she is concerned that the lack of heat between services in
the wintertime will damage the piano, and wonders if the new piano would be
an appropriate investment given the conditions it will be kept.  She has
asked my advice.  

 

Some background about our winter climate in New Hampshire.  Our winters can
be long and cold.  We can have protracted cold spells where the overnight
lows can be  - 10 or - 20.  Common overnight lows will be in the single
numbers and teens.

 

I have seen pianos that were stored in an unheated truck for a couple of
days brought inside to a heated space.  Within an hour or so, you will see
condensation forming on the exterior of the piano.  Because the piano is so
cold, I have seen frost form!

 

I think the issues that this piano would face are these:  The condensation
that is the byproduct of the freeze - thaw cycles will damage the finish of
the soundboard and the case, which may lead to crazing.  Sluggish and
sticking keys will be a common complaint. Strings and other steel parts will
rust because of the condensation.   Given that the temperature will jack
from very low to 60 or 65 degrees in a few hours, I would be concerned about
the soundboard cracking due to expansion caused by the rise in temperature.

 

What are your thoughts?  Thanks in advance for your offering.  

 

Will Truitt

 

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