<HTML>In a message dated 10/22/01 8:00:25 AM Central Daylight Time, jfryett@minot.ndak.net (Jere Fryett) writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">A lady called me today asking about the effects of cold on her piano.  I know that it is not real good but did not know the specifics on why.  It seems that she will be going south for the winter and wishes to turn off the heat in her home during that time period.  Here in North Dakota it can get and stay below zero for several days at a time.  It can be as low as -40F.  How low can the temperature go and stay for extended periods of time before it becomes harmful to her piano?  What precautions should be taken to protect the piano from the cold? </BLOCKQUOTE> I got to this post late and didn't get a chance to read any of the other responses but I did want to answer from my own experience.  I have taken care of the pianos at the Frank Lloyd Wright estate now for some 15 years.  Each year, they close up and leave at the end of October.  There is no power left on except in a few places where the small, caretaker crew resides.  All of the buildings where the pianos are go unheated throughout the winter. While it is not quite as cold in Southern Wisconsin as North Dakota, the temperature does go below zero Fahrenheit (below -20 Centigrade).  There are well below freezing conditions in each or the places where the pianos are kept.  There has been a history of fires at the estate, so no one wants to take any chances with an electrical fire which could be caused by something like squirrels or other rodents disturbing the wiring. Amazingly, however, when I return in June, the pianos are right on pitch!  The concert grand in the theater which is used heavily throughout the summer barely takes me 30 minutes to tune because it is so stable.  The worst problem is with some verdigris that forms, I presume because of condensation and disuse.  A little Protek takes care of it for the rest of the season. I suggest covering the pianos well and when the house is reoccupied, leave the pianos covered and raise the temperature gradually.  Wait at least a few weeks before tuning after returning to normal room temperature.  The most important thing is to not shock the piano with sudden temperature changes. Bill Bremmer RPT Madison, Wisconsin</HTML>