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Piano room humidity min/max

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Off Key - General Discussion
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  • RontunerR Offline
    RontunerR Offline
    Rontuner
    wrote on last edited by
    #8

    Dampp-Chasers are an assist to room control, although with bottom and top covers, I've seen massive improvements in a few of my church/institutional clients where the room varies between around 15% in the winter and over 60% in the summer...

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    • A Offline
      A Offline
      AndyD
      wrote on last edited by
      #9

      20241026_083337.jpg

      Room has fitted doors which we generally keep closed

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      • A Offline
        A Offline
        AndyD
        wrote on last edited by
        #10

        20241026_083220.jpg

        Piano is kept with top open; that's our music arranged under the window seat (all we need is new carpet, curtains & cushions😄)

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        • A Offline
          A Offline
          AndyD
          wrote on last edited by
          #11

          Because the room has the half-height 4 pane window above the window seat and two full height 4 panes as well, it is flooded with light. The piano is on the North wall.

          We live on a hill which is often windy, and foggy. Two days this week we were living in cloudy drizzle and the RH was around 60-65.

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          • S Offline
            S Offline
            Steve Miller
            wrote on last edited by
            #12

            Those doors are spectacular! 👍

            wtgW 1 Reply Last reply
            • S Steve Miller

              Those doors are spectacular! 👍

              wtgW Offline
              wtgW Offline
              wtg
              wrote on last edited by
              #13

              @Steve-Miller said in Piano room humidity min/max:

              Those doors are spectacular! 👍

              Dog is sweet, too!

              When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

              1 Reply Last reply
              • A AndyD

                @pique said in Piano room humidity min/max:

                you absolutely do not ever want to let the humidity drop below 30 or get above 60. I personally freak out if it is below 35 or above 55

                Why not above 60%?
                When I got a sticky key last year a RH reading in the room was 78% (though of doubtful accuracy, probably +/- 5).

                P Offline
                P Offline
                pique
                wrote on last edited by
                #14

                @AndyD above 60 percent strings will rust

                fear is the thief of dreams

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                • P Offline
                  P Offline
                  pique
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #15

                  Now having seen your room setup, I urge you to get a dehumidifier and keep the doors closed. But as this looks to be an ancient American upright, it has probably been through far worse. Does it stay in tune?

                  fear is the thief of dreams

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                  • wtgW Offline
                    wtgW Offline
                    wtg
                    wrote on last edited by wtg
                    #16

                    @AndyD - The piano in the photo - that's the Bluthner B upright you talked about in the piano buying thread you started a few months ago on WTF, right? The one you bought in the early 2000s?

                    Speaking of piano buying...are you still shopping?

                    When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

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                    • A Offline
                      A Offline
                      AndyD
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #17

                      Yes wtg, that's our golden sounding Bluthner which has not been tuned since 2019 and also moved 300 miles north.
                      Yet according to my digital guitar tuner (and ear when playing along e.g. with Stephanie Trick) it is still in tune. But it's going to get TLC very soon.

                      The grand piano search will probably take significant time, don't hold your breath, especially as the house still needs thousands spent on it.

                      Steve, thanks, the doors were installed by a pro carpenter, a cousin of mine who took a week to make a frame etc and fit them... perfectly. It's a real pleasure watching someone with traditional skills.

                      Pique, that's one of the new dehumidifiers placed (temporarily) to the left of the piano. Good point about strings and other metal bits like the tuning pegs potentially rusting. You obviously take great care over your piano.

                      The RH advice found on the internet is mostly about stability. Basically "keep the RH as constant as possible", one adding "anywhere between 40-70% depending on where you live".
                      I've just found the advice "don't use a humidifier blowing steam directly onto the piano as it could cause rust".
                      Guitars apparently like 50-55%.

                      So I'll aim for a narrower 50-60% range.

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                      • P Offline
                        P Offline
                        pique
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #18

                        [quote]You obviously take great care over your piano.[/quote]

                        ahahahahahahaha! (I can't find a rothflol emoji)

                        www.grandobsession.com

                        fear is the thief of dreams

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        • A Offline
                          A Offline
                          AndyD
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #19

                          Fantastic, you wrote a book about your hobby, what, like learning to play and then the search to find 'the one', and building a mini-concert hall home extension 😀

                          Was it a best seller?

                          But your fallboard, what's really written there?

                          P 1 Reply Last reply
                          • A AndyD

                            Fantastic, you wrote a book about your hobby, what, like learning to play and then the search to find 'the one', and building a mini-concert hall home extension 😀

                            Was it a best seller?

                            But your fallboard, what's really written there?

                            P Offline
                            P Offline
                            pique
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #20

                            @AndyD Grotrian-Steinweg.

                            The book was named an Ediitor's Choice at the NYT and a best book of the year by thw WaPo.

                            It's stll selling. I'm still getting letters from readers.

                            You would learn a lot about everything piano if you read it. 🙂

                            fear is the thief of dreams

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            • A Offline
                              A Offline
                              AndyD
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #21

                              Kudos for choosing a Grotrian, I liked a couple I found to play back in 2003 and they made my top 5, though can't find any new in the uk today.
                              Guessing you visited Germany to shop.

                              I'm obviously not quite as obsessive as you but in Durham Cathedral a fortnight ago I saw the stewards uncovering and unlocking their grand piano for a cello recital.
                              They moved away to chat and I couldn't resist ...
                              Boston !

                              P 1 Reply Last reply
                              • wtgW Offline
                                wtgW Offline
                                wtg
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #22

                                @AndyD So what did you play? 😆

                                When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

                                A 1 Reply Last reply
                                • A AndyD

                                  Kudos for choosing a Grotrian, I liked a couple I found to play back in 2003 and they made my top 5, though can't find any new in the uk today.
                                  Guessing you visited Germany to shop.

                                  I'm obviously not quite as obsessive as you but in Durham Cathedral a fortnight ago I saw the stewards uncovering and unlocking their grand piano for a cello recital.
                                  They moved away to chat and I couldn't resist ...
                                  Boston !

                                  P Offline
                                  P Offline
                                  pique
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #23

                                  @AndyD nope. Found it in NYC

                                  fear is the thief of dreams

                                  A 1 Reply Last reply
                                  • C Online
                                    C Online
                                    CHAS
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #24

                                    Andy D,
                                    Like the room, the doors, and the piano.

                                    C

                                    “I’m at an age when remembering something right away is as good as an orgasm.”—Gloria Steinem to Julia Louis-Dreyfus on Wiser Than Me

                                    wtgW 1 Reply Last reply
                                    • C CHAS

                                      Andy D,
                                      Like the room, the doors, and the piano.

                                      C

                                      wtgW Offline
                                      wtgW Offline
                                      wtg
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #25

                                      @CHAS said in Piano room humidity min/max:

                                      Andy D,
                                      Like the room, the doors, and the piano.

                                      C

                                      Don't forget the dog....🐶

                                      When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      • P pique

                                        @AndyD nope. Found it in NYC

                                        A Offline
                                        A Offline
                                        AndyD
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #26

                                        @pique And I found your book here!
                                        It will be interesting to read and maybe compare with a chap over here in Kent, Richard Dain, who, with Wayne Stuart and Steingraeber, designed built and produces his own brand of piano 🤪.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        • wtgW wtg

                                          @AndyD So what did you play? 😆

                                          A Offline
                                          A Offline
                                          AndyD
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #27

                                          @wtg What would have been appropriate in an ancient English Norman Cathedral?
                                          Hmmm, French national anthem😇?

                                          wtgW 1 Reply Last reply
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