[CAUT] Grey Market Mould

[Albert Picknell]

Hi Patrick

Roger Wheelock from Dampp-chaser replied on the pianotech list, and said the purple blotches are just the dye in the pads concentrating in spots as the water migrates through the pads - nothing to be concerned about.

I do believe the mould is a pre-existing condition.  I live in a very dry climate (Banff, Alberta), and as long as things stay dry things like mould aren't much of a problem.  Summer is a little more humid here (up to 60% or so - 42% today) - not what I would call extreme.

Thanks,
Bert

--- On Tue, 7/6/10, James Patrick Draine <draine at me.com> wrote:

> From: James Patrick Draine <draine at me.com>
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Grey Market Mould
> To: caut at ptg.org
> Received: Tuesday, July 6, 2010, 1:22 PM
> Bert,
> The purple splotches on the pad seems to be "normal",
> apparently depending on the relative purity of the water,
> and perhaps interactions with the DC additive. The mold may
> have been a pre-existing condition -- I forget where you
> live and just how humid it may be at this time of year.
> Best wishes,
> Patrick Draine
> 
> On Jul 6, 2010, at 10:24 AM, Albert Picknell wrote:
> 
> > Hello List
> > 
> > Sorry for double-posting this query, but I know there
> are some of you who are not on the pianotech list...
> > 
> > I have a private client with a grey-market Yamaha
> U1H.  I installed a Dampp-chaser a couple of months
> ago, and now the client is noticing a musty/mouldy smell
> that seems to be coming from the piano.  Also, when I
> went to tune the piano a month or so after installing the
> Dampp-chaser, I noticed some purple-coloured blotches on the
> humidifier pads.
> > 
> > What I suspect has happened is that the
> re-introduction of moisture into the piano has re-awakened
> dormant mould spores that have been there since the piano
> was brought over from Asia.  My first inclination is to
> remove the Dampp-chaser, but I'm wondering whether any of
> you have dealt with a situation like this before, and have
> found any other effective solutions.
> > 
> > By the way, the client has another piano (non-grey
> market) in the same apartment, also with a Dampp-chaser in
> it, that has no problem.
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > Bert
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
>