<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'>Start by insisting that the piano be up on its feet. But, before it goes up inspect the bottom of the piano; check the soundboard to rim joint, make sure the ribs are solidly glued. Usually you will be able to see a “waterline” which will tell you how high the water has been. (Assuming it was in a flood-type situation.) Determine how old the piano is. Is it old enough to worry about animal hide glue joints? If it is a more modern piano—one using a thermal-setting water-proof adhesive—you probably won’t have structural problems. Pull the action and examine the action parts. Even if you don’t see evidence of direct water damage make sure the centers are free (not rusted stiff) and not loose. Listen to the piano—assuming it is playable—how are the hammers? Check the pinblock to make sure there is no delaminating going on. Tune through the bass (the piano was on its side, right?) and see how the pins feel. How do the metal parts look? How much rust can you see? How are the dampers? The damper levers? The damper guide rail? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'>After you’ve given your initial inspection, explain that before you are willing to put anything about the pianos condition in writing you’ll want to check the piano again after it has been dry for a couple of months—when I check a piano that has actually been in a flood I want it to be dried out for about four to six months before I render any final decision on salvageability and the costs involved. It doesn’t sound like this has actually been in a flood but you don’t yet know how high the water might have gone. I’ve found decently built old pianos falling apart after a flood that came only six inches up on the walls and I’ve found other pianos that were literally floating in four or five feet of water that cleaned up reasonably well with only hammers and dampers and a few assorted bits and pieces.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'>ddf<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#632423'>Delwin D Fandrich</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#632423'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#632423'>Piano Design & Fabrication</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#632423'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#632423'>6939 Foothill Court SW, </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#632423'>Olympia, Washington 98512 USA<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#632423'>Phone  360.515.0119 — Cell  360.388.6525</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#632423'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#632423'><a href="mailto:del@fandrichpiano.com"><span style='color:blue'>del@fandrichpiano.com </span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#632423'>— </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#632423'><a href="mailto:ddfandrich@gmail.com"><span style='color:blue'>ddfandrich@gmail.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Rob McCall<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, October 11, 2011 1:02 PM<br><b>To:</b> pianotech@ptg.org<br><b>Subject:</b> [pianotech] Water damaged piano<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'>Greetings,<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'>I received a call this morning from a flood and water damage company.  Apparently, someone has, what the owner of the flood company called, a very expensive piano in storage.  There was a leak in the roof of the storage facility and water rained down on the piano and it apparently sat in this mess for a while before it was discovered. He wants me to call him tomorrow morning to go over the details. I don't know any specifics yet; type of piano, manufacturer, age, etc. He seemed to think there was water inside the action of the piano, too. He couldn't talk today as he was busy.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'>My questions are based on having never done this type of evaluation before.  What are the things I need to look for?  Thoughts that come to my mind are repairing any case damage, replacing all felt components internally, possibly new hammers, letting everything dry out and reevaluating the keyframe, rails, etc.  Maybe restringing or new pins? New pin block?  Soundboard? Mold prevention? I'm not quite sure, so please let me know any ideas you may have for the items I should look at and evaluate.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'>All thoughts are welcome... I appreciate the help.<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Optima","serif";color:black'>Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Optima","serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Optima","serif";color:black'>Rob McCall<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Optima","serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Optima","serif";color:black'>McCall Piano Service, LLC<br><a href="http://www.mccallpiano.com">www.mccallpiano.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Optima","serif";color:black'>Murrieta, CA<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:13.5pt;margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Optima","serif";color:black'>951-698-1875<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>