FIRE DAMAGE: 25 PIANOS

[Marcel Carey]

Just as I came back from doing house calls today, I had a very disturbing
message on my answering machine. There was a fire just downstairs from the
music department at the university where I just had finished tuning all 27
pianos during the fall break.

I have to go and evaluate the dammages tomorrow morning. From what I was
told, there was only smoke... but I suspect heat as well. There are about 20
UF-1, 2 disklavier (G-2) 1 C-3 and 2 C6-F.

What scares the hell out of me is _NOT_ knowing what are the long term
effect of smoke on strings and Electronics components of the disklaviers.
Have any of you been confronted with such a situation? Should I just quote
an estimate for cleaning and tuning (I suspect the heat will have trown my
tunings out), or should I leave a doubt in my estimate as far as the long
term problems that could develop in the years to come. I think mainly of
soundboard integrity; can the heat affect the glue joints? Is there a way to
find out at this stage or will I just have to wait and then after all the
insurance claims are over, in 2 or 3 years come back to them and then admit
that I was wrong and that the pianos all need new soundboards.

Please, I need feedback.

Thanks in advance,

Marcel Carey, RPT