Techs in Sacremento

[Paul S. Larudee]

DON PRICE wrote:
> 
> A customer of mine is moving to Sacramento.   She has inquired about the
> necessity of a dampp-chaser in her piano.  She has informed me she will be
> living at an elevation of 26 feet, so I assume she may be very close to the
> ocean.   Anyway,  any info would be appreciated.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> dcp@sosinc.net
> Don Price
> 816 Vickie
> Ft. Morgan  CO 80701
I am about 75 miles from Sacramento.  I'm a bit surprised that any place
in Sacramento would be at 26 feet altitude.  It is at least 50 miles
from the nearest salt water, which is the upper reaches of San Francisco
Bay.  The Sacramento river, presumably the lowest point in Sacramento,
would probably have to be higher than that just to flow to the Bay.

Having said that, your question regards the climate, which can be hot
and dry in the summer, with a mild winter rainy season, rarely dropping
below freezing.  Most homes have air conditioning, which, although it
removes some water from the air, often raises the daytime relative
humidity by lowering the temperature, thereby reducing the capacity of
the air to hold water.

I would not consider a humidity control system a necessity - certainly
not by comparison with extreme climates like Minnesota, where summer
humidity levels get close to 100% and central heating reduces it to
nearly zero in winter.  In Sacramento, it ranges between 25% and 70%,
and is most commonly between 30% and 60%.

On the other hand, I recommend the system to my customers in order to
stabilize tuning, especially if they don't tune regularly.  I never
install a tank because the humidity in my area rarely gets dry enough to
activate it.  It gets somewhat drier in Sacramento, but just the
dehumidifier rod (always controlled by a Humidistat) would still go a
long way to stabilize the piano.

Paul S. Larudee, RPT
Richmond, CA