They already have a humidity control system in the building - it just doesn't work! Once, after complaining all through the year, the humidity finally kicked in the day after classes ended in June. Actually, the heating system has been on the fritz this year, with temps only in the mid 60's. The pianos loved it, of course, and were only 5-15 cents flat during Christmas break (this is after 2 - 3 tunings since August/September, with full DC systems). Unfortunately, the heat has been "fixed" now, so room temps will be back in the 70's and 80's soon...(sigh). In the summer months, the paint has peeled off the block walls in some rooms where the humidity has been particularly high, and in the winter students have to open windows in some of the hottest rooms even though it's well below zero outside. The pianos soak up so much moisture during the wet season that they don't even begin to stabilize until March/April. I'm aware of the effect of temperature on humidity. And I have and will continue to stress this to them. The thinking seems to be that if we push for an ideal $$$olution we won't get anything, hence their desire to come up with an acceptable range that might be implemented for less money. The sad thing is that the money is there, but of course the Arts programs always seem to come last. - Mark Dierauf -----Original Message----- From: Ron Nossaman [mailto:rnossaman@cox.net] Sent: Saturday, January 14, 2006 12:22 AM To: College and University Technicians Subject: Re: [CAUT] FW: Temperature/Humidity range > After years of complaining about the environment in the Music Building > at a school that I service, there finally seems to be some movement > towards at least exploring a solution to the problem. I have been asked > to provide a range of both humidity and temperature that would be > considered the minimum requirements for the pianos. Right now, humidity > swings between 20% and 70%, measured with my radio shack digital > thermo/hygrometer, although I have a hard time believing that it doesn't > drop lower than that. Temperatures in the heating season frequently > reach into the upper 70's, with a few rooms hitting well above 80F on > occasion! I have suggested that anything outside the 30% - 60% range is > bad for the pianos, with an ideal of mid 40%'s, but I don't know how to > answer the temperature question. Any suggestions? > > Mark Dierauf, I'd suggest that you make a heroic effort to explain the difference between temperature fluctuations, and humidity fluctuations. I've known a number of country churches that set the thermostat at 50° during the week. it's hard on the tuner's fingers to pound on keys at that temperature, but the pianos tend to stay in tune way better than they do in places where the temperature is conscientiously kept at 70°. The difference is that the 50° storage is at 40% RH, and the 70° storage is at 25%RH. RH% trumps temperature big time. So given the choice of emphasis on temperature control or RH% control, take the RH% control every time. Be aware though, that no matter how you stress RH% control, they will likely hear temperature, and won't have a clue why the pianos still won't stay in tune after installing an expensive new heating system with absolutely no provision for humidity control. Wait for it... Ron N
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