[pianotech] Extreme dryness

[Thos Carpenter]

From: David Renaud <drjazzca at gmail.com>
Date: January 26, 2013 2:56:15 PM MST
To: "pianotech at ptg.org" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Subject: [pianotech] Extreme dryness
Reply-To: pianotech at ptg.org


   I will be encouraging a music school near Ottawa, and a local University here in Ottawa to get a handle on their humidity control.

   It has been hitting minus 30s C at night, and occasional highs in the minus 20's this week.

  One of these places has no humidifiers, and the other little assistance in that respect.

   I tried attaching a picture, the likes of which I am sending to the administrators. The picture is of a hydrometer, above the serial  number.

   21% humidity..........

   I would love to attach a list of comments from other professionals in how serious this level of humidity is, and expected side effects. Comments from other technicians in Canada, that do similar institutions are especially welcome. How is your humidity control and how do you/they deal with it?

       Yes I am familiar with Damp-Chasers, have installed many, and will included the option in my report. 20% is just too dry though, for people also, ...it hurts to be in that environment for a few hours tuning, sucking the moisture out of me. I don't know how the teachers manage a whole night. I feel it.

                                                 Cheers
                                                  Dave Renaud  

Hi Dave,
wow, amazing how relative, relative humidity can be.  I evaluated at an SF10 friday for a prospective purchaser.  The room had a humidifier in it so I was concerned about affects on the piano should it be moved to a drier environment.  I pulled out my hygrometer and measured between 27 and 28%.  Humidity here in Colorado can fluctuate from 30's in the summer to single digits in the winter.  Furnace humidifier installers here recommend not turning it up past 20 in order to avoid mildew.  The school district that I care for normally will see a fluctuation of pitch of up to 30 cents from summer to winter on their uprights.  I never used hand lotion until I moved from Michigan 28 years ago.

Tom
 
A FINE TECHNICIAN
Thos. Carpenter - Piano Technician
303.684.6766
www.AFINETECH.com






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