OK, that is a good practical test of the value of an external Humidifier in that situation. I have started this year to record RH conditions with a precise hygrometer for each client. That helps in assessing problems and solutions. Thank you Gerald Allan Sutton, m.mus. RPT www.pianotechniquemontreal.com 2010/6/20 Gerald Groot <tunerboy3 at comcast.net> > *Hi Alan,* > > * * > > *My hygrometer was registering in late January, 17 % RH and less before > she put the humidfier in place. Afterward, I was registering 35 % - 45 %. > Dependant upon how cold it was outside and how much fire they had stoked in > their pot belly stove. I only tuned it in January so I don't know what the > RH was in the summer but if it is like everywhere is in Michigan, it'll be > all over the map. When I returned to tune it each January, the piano was > always a little sharp about 442. This tells me it was getting more humidity > than it was dryness. * > > * * > > *There was a pot belly fire stove in the corner of the house within 6 feet > or so of the piano which they used to heat the whole room. No other heating > units were installed in that room. She chose and I accepted that as a wise > choice in this case, to set the humidifier right next to the piano between > IT and the stove. It seems to have worked well for all of these years > blasting pretty much full tilt all day long during the winter months. * > > * * > > *I have another client that has base board heating that runs along side of > each wall and of course also directly behind the piano. I recommended that > she place a piece of plexiglas the size of the piano behind it to at least > try and divert the heat in that area. The heat seems to now be diverted to > the sides and upwards to the ceiling more so than at the backside of the > sounding board. Unfortunately, there is no other place to put the piano. > That seems to have helped a lot so far. At least, it is better than > nothing. * > > * * > > *Jer* > > *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] *On > Behalf Of *allan at sutton.net > *Sent:* Sunday, June 20, 2010 1:18 PM > > *To:* pianotech at ptg.org > *Subject:* Re: [pianotech] Low humidity ok ? > > > > Ron, I add this to elements for my intelligence. A lot of air movement in > forced air heating would dissipate my hypothetical "micro climat" around the > piano anyway. > > > > Terry, the small external humidifier would still controlled by a humidistat > inside the piano. > > > > Gerald, in your client's home, it is positive : is there forced air heating > outlet near? What are the minimum and maximum values in that house around > the year if not for the humidifier ? > > > > Allan Sutton, m.mus. RPT > www.pianotechniquemontreal.com > > 2010/6/20 Terry Farrell <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com> > > Good point Ron. I forget that some people actually HEAT their homes..... > > Terry in Tampa (HOT Tampa!) > > > > On Jun 20, 2010, at 12:16 PM, Ron Nossaman wrote: > > allan at sutton.net wrote: > > Thank you Terry, That precision : "different pianos, different solutions" > seems very appropriate to me. > > > I pretty much agree with Terry. Big seasonal (or weekly) humidity swings > are a major accelerator to aging, and stability is much more important than > the absolute number. > > Another question : Do many agree that a small external humidifier near > the piano will help significantly in adding some humidity to every part of > the piano when needed (soundboard and pinblock and action, in a grand > piano), albeit as a second choice to whole room conditioning ? > > > It depends on the heating system. With something like room contained > convection or radiant heating, an auxiliary humidifier will, or can, help. > With a forced air system whatever humidity you put into any given room is > sucked out and distributed throughout the house. So unless your humidifier > in building wide a forced air system is going through eight gallons or so a > day, it's probably not going to help much. > Ron N > > > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20100620/f5591a57/attachment.htm>
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