<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=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Rick,<br>Your premis is doubtful. No way when a piano gets contaminated that it will durably function unless strings and felt to metal is replaced. That goes for water damage of any kind and smoke also.<br>Like a car in an accident it needs to be put back in the condition it was in prior to the damage. I have found that all metal parts and felt and wood anything organic is compromised. Replace, Felt, Leather, Pins. I would imagine that most all the pianos in the area are a total loss. I would not pretend to offer hope. It will be months or years before the instruments are repaired. Damage is already done wheels, legs etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>You may find some exceptions but water and smoke is bad stuff.<br>-Garret</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><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>richarducci@comcast.net<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, November 07, 2012 8:15 AM<br><b>To:</b> pianotech@ptg.org<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [pianotech] Flood Damaged Pianos<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>True, but that was 40yrs. later.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>If they had been rinsed and treated with anti rust agent that might not have been the case?<br><br>Rick Ucci<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://Uccipiano.com">Uccipiano.com</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>609-677-0444<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>On Nov 6, 2012, at 3:56 PM, "Robin Stevens" <<a href="mailto:pianobee@bigpond.com">pianobee@bigpond.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>In my home town of Port Pirie South Australia we had a tidal flood in  mid 1930 where a great number of pianos had a foot or higher of sea water. The problem is that the water seeped behind the strings and saturated the felt. Even though the pianos were dried out the trapped water in the felt over the frame eventually corroded the strings causing them to snap at all times of the day. I arrived in the town 40 years after the flood and  strings were still going pop in the night. The bottom line is unless the piano is completely restrung, it’s a right off….Then there is the problem of veneers peeling off etc.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Robin </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><a name="_MailEndCompose"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span></a><o:p></o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><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"'> <a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a> [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Stephen Grattan<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, 7 November 2012 1:39 AM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [pianotech] Flood Damaged Pianos</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Hi Rick,</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>If they were sitting in water for any length of time I would be very concerned about structural damage from failing glue joints as well as veneer damage that might not show up for weeks or months.  If that happens and the piano is later condemned you could be on the hook- as any insurance company will not reopen a claim.  Protect yourself. Any newer pianos with MDF cabinets are especially liable to expand.  Once the MDF 'grows', it is beyond reasonable repair.<br> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:blue'>Steve Grattan</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:blue'>Lost Chord Clinic</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><hr size=1 width="100%" align=center></span></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><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"'> "<a href="mailto:richarducci@comcast.net">richarducci@comcast.net</a>" <<a href="mailto:richarducci@comcast.net">richarducci@comcast.net</a>><br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a><br><b>Sent:</b> Tue, November 6, 2012 9:26:43 AM<br><b>Subject:</b> [pianotech] Flood Damaged Pianos<br></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>List, <br>I'm starting to get calls from clients who were flooded in Sandy.<br><br>Can you advise about uprights and grands that were in a foot or more of salt water for days.<br><br>I know strings can be cleaned with water rinse and blow dried, and coated with Balistol, pedals and brackets as well.<br><br>What about exterior wood veneer ?<br>What other areas need attention?<br><br>I will be submitting estimates to ins. companies and don't want to miss anything.<br><br>Rick Ucci<br><a href="http://Uccipiano.com">Uccipiano.com</a><br>609-677-0444</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div></body></html>