Dampp-Chaser

[btrout@desupernet.net]

Hi Clyde,

I did rather suspect that humidity levels would fluctuate more than that 10%
range or so, but I've never seen any actual data on just how far levels do go.
(It may be a pretty local kind of thing.)  It's interesting to me that you
took the initiative to actually record all of that data, and in my opinion,
it's worth a lot more than 2 cents!

Thanks again Clyde.  You're OK!  : - )

Hope you're having a great weekend.  (I'm just on my way for a walk... thought
it would be nice to spend a little time in reflection of what 'Easter' is
really all about.)

Best wishes,

Brian Trout
Quarryville, Pa.

Clyde Hollinger wrote:

> Brian and Debbie and the list,
>
> I guess I'll throw my two cents in here.  For one entire year I recorded
> the humidity level wherever I tuned a piano.  I charted them all, about
> 800 records.  I probably still have it somewhere, if I would know where
> to look!  These records showed that it's fairly common to find humidity
> in the 25% range in the winter and up to 85% in the summer, and I found
> extremes beyond that.
>
> Airconditioning systems will typically lower the summer humidity to the
> 60+% range, assuming it is hot enough to keep it running pretty
> regularly.  A cool rainy day, when the AC won't run, can drive the
> indoor humidity way up there!  As far as room or system humidifiers go,
> I suspect the number of homes with them are in the minority.  And if you
> try to keep your humidity at, say, 40% in the winter, you're going to
> get window and/or wall condensation, which won't do your house any
> good.  It is going to be the very rare building that will keep the
> humidity within a 10% range, as the Dampp-Chaser system does (38%-48%).
> The first couple systems I installed I sold with fear and trepidation,
> because I really didn't believe in them, but I didn't know what else to
> do.  There was nothing I could do to keep some pianos in tune.  One of
> those clients, a lawyer's wife and a music teacher, was also skeptical
> but went along with me when I agreed to give all her money back if she
> wasn't satisfied.  She says there's no way she would part with it now.
> That was five years ago.
>
> I sell every complete system with a one-year satisfaction guarantee or
> your money back.  I've never been asked to remove one.  But I don't try
> to sell a system to every client.  If they don't see the need for it,
> they're going to feel that they've been had, and I want people to be
> happy with me, not mad.
>
> Clyde Hollinger, RPT
> Lititz, PA
>