The Piano Life Saver System is available in two different models, the Grand System, which is installed on the underside of the piano, and the Upright System, which is installed inside the piano. Does not need constant refilling or maintenance. New Life Piano Service, Inc. recommends the use of Dampp-Chaser products for humidity control. Your piano is made primarily of wood, a versatile and beautiful material ideal for piano construction. The device stays hidden inside your piano and runs quietly and remains easy to manage and care for. His site was easy to navigate and the scheduling service was great. Low humidity often dries out glue joints when the glue joints on the ribs dry out the soundboard can loose crown, and again there often is a buzzing sound, sometimes the sound on the piano becomes dead, often there is a lost of support for the bridges and the piano will not stay in tune. I hope this article has been of help to you to understand this issue and some ways to solve humidity problems and environmental problems with your piano. Highly recommend him. Youll also want to determine how much water a whole-home humidifier will require. To protect your instrument, I highly recommend the specially designed climate control system for the inside of your piano.This product, made by Dampp-Chaser Corporation, is both a humidifier and dehumidifier that alternates automatically to keep the humidity at 45% throughout the year. He sent out an email reminder about our appointment which I appreciated. The popular opinions passionately expressed in favor of or against Dampp-Chaser units tend to be rooted in sincerely held beliefs. If you keep them properly watered, they will continually release water vapor through their leaves. Bonus: there are certain varieties of houseplant that will also help purify their air in your home. 406-736-5745. I have seen pianos destroyed when people keep these plugged in all winter long. In the summer you open the windows and the humidity gets dangerously high. These movements are not visible, but they happen reliably in reaction to the changing seasons. The Piano Life Saver system is an internal humidity control system that is engineered to protect what is arguably the world's most complex musical instrument: the piano. And, he gave me great referrals of other Indiana companies that sell pianos because we are investing in a new one. These observations concerning hostile environments for acoustic pianos. Copyright 2022 M. Steinert & Sons Pianos. Aside from getting your piano serviced regularly, effectively managing the environmental factors affecting your piano will be the most significant aspect of your piano's care. Need a Piano Humidity Control System? If you purchase a system with the optional Smart Bracket on the humidifier tank, the red PADS light will blink when the pads are no longer wicking water, indicating that they should be replaced. Piano Humidity Control System Installation. One solution is a humidity control system designed specifically for pianos. Does the area in which you live fluctuate between high and low humidity? When I was a kid and I got sick, my mother made me stand over a pot with Viks vapo rub and a towel over my heads. As a fundamental component of complete care, a piano humidity control system protects your piano from the undesirable effects of extreme or fluctuating humidity levels. Called a Piano LifeSaver Humidity Control System from Dampp-Chaser Corporation, the entire unit fits inside an upright or under the soundboard of a grand. Use a dehumidifier to lower humidity. Both systems use less electricity than the average piece of similar equipment, which uses approximately 5.280 kWh of electricity in a 24-hour period. My piano hadn't been tuned in years and had a couple broken keys. Keep broadleaf plants in your room. When the electric humidistat registers humidity that is too low, it activates the humidifier. This product has proven track record over many years. Features It is for this reason I really advise people to use a humidistat controller with dehumidification bars whenever possible. These devices can also destroy a piano if for some reason they are left on when the humidity drops for some reason. Monitoring Humidity One of the first things you need to do is monitor your humidity. Our Happy Clients. primarily out of wood. your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable. The Piano Life Saver System is attached to the underside of a grand piano and inside of an upright piano. Better systems are steam and hot water baseboard. I loved using it for recordings, however, each time I recorded with it .. it needed to be tuned. The clips come with the heater bar to install on the back of the kick plate. Pianos in all climates benefit substantially from humidity control. Dampp-Chasers require minimal maintenance. From beginning to end, our experience with Ron Moore was wonderful. You should expect that a small piano will go out of tune in 6 months. This constant expanding-and-contracting cycle damages the wood. Prices below do not include a technician's service visit, unless otherwise indicated. Every one wants an inexpensive piano for their child to learn on, however, usually the more inexpensive piano they get the more hostile environment and will require tunings more often. The lack of humidity and the stretching of being swelled and then dried up has taken tremendous tool on these instruments. A properly installed piano humidity control system called the Piano Life Saver System from the Dampp-Chaser Corporation can help tremendously in protecting your valuable investment. Pianos are complex instruments predominantly made of wood. Except for rusty strings I do not see as severe damage with high humidity as low. Youll have an appropriate amount of humidity AND higher-quality air to breathe! A properly installed system is nearly undetectable. In the summer pianos tend to go sharp and in the winter they tend to go flat. Relative humidity is the amount of moisture contained in the air as a percentage of the maximum amount of moisture that the air . The pin block, or wrest plank, the laminated wood part that holds all the tuning pins at the proper tension, is one of the most important parts of the piano and is severely impacted by changes in temperature and humidity. I had a Baldwin 9 foot concert grand that was brought in from Northampton Mass. document.write('
'); *Warranty is only valid when Dampp-Chaser parts are installed by a qualified piano technician, or Dampp-Chaser Certified Professional. What happens? Some places only need dehumidification. Combined with the fact that pianos are extremely complex instruments with thousands of small parts under immense amounts of tension, the smallest changes in relative humidity can have a significant impact on the tuning and stability of the piano. These pianos often cannot be brought up to pitch because there is a loss of side bearing on the strings. He was on time to our home and very professional. HUMIDITY CONTROL is necessary for regular maintenance and should be considered by all piano owners. Creating the perfect environment for your piano might seem daunting, but it is worth it in the long run. I think they expect the piano to sound as good 6 months down the road as it did the day it was tuned. I hadn't thought that our piano needed cleaned previously, but I would recommend it! CALL (571) 281-2595. I recommend Dampp-Chaser humidity control systems as an effective way to control the destructive effects of humidity swings. Take the thermostat apart. I always warn clients that they need to remember that the as a rule the less expensive the piano, the more often it will needs to be tuned. Most brands will tell you the square footage they cover, so when youre shopping for a humidifier make sure you know the square footage of the room where your piano sits. Your piano was designed to work best in an environment that consists of about 42-45% relative humidity. For such people I tell them get a digital. 4. This system installs inside an upright or under a grand piano and stabilizes the relative humidity inside the instrument. 434-823-9733. You can place a pan of water over your floor vents. When the "pitch raise" wasn't needed, he promptly refunded a portion of our prepaid fee. The Humidistat is the brain of the system, which senses whether your piano is too moist . Nothing to spill. The unit then feeds a humidifier if one is plugged in. 1. find the sensors - the thermistor is usually a tiny beard, and the humidity sensor is flat. Also as far as heating systems go, the worse heating systems for a piano are convection style wood or coal burners, forced hot air, or electric heaters. The swelling and shrinking of the piano's soundboard is the most immediate and noticeable effect of humidity change. And over time, rust and corrosion will be evident on the strings. Schedule Online Now. Piano Finder. It was a spinet and sure enough I had to have it tuned just about every 6 months because I knew what an in tune instrument should sound like from playing a fixed key instrument like a Hammond organ. Depending on where in the United States you live and what the typical climate is, maintaining this can be challenging. A pianos felt hammers are made of wool that will also swell and shrink, negatively impacting the tone of your piano, and the pianos steel strings will eventually rust if they are subject to too much moisture. Piano Appraisal; Humidity Control System Installation; Contact Us; 555 555 5555. Only the pad treatment sold by Dampp-Chaser is safe to use with the system. areas: Pianos require an adequate amount of protection against daily and seasonal changes in weather and humidity. - Keyboard Manufacturers Too much humidity is not only bad for the piano, but it is also bad for your other furniture and the health of your family. Our expert technicians have installed over 800 Damppchaser Life Saver Systems. I had one lady complain because she bought a small spinet and had it in an old coal miners house. However most of these pianos are reaching ages of 80 100 years old. This system maintains the relative humidity of your piano within a few percent of the ideal level of 45% Relative Humidity. The Piano Life Saver System by Dampp-Chaser is made up of three basic components which work together to control the humidity levels within your piano, maintaining the recommended average 42% relative humidity, no matter what the external conditions are. For more information about humidity control for your piano please visit www.pianolifesaver.com. A darker environment will always preserve wood finishes better. Moisture affects pianos for the reason that all pianos are made This is also a problem for the Dampp-Chaser company. I had a beautiful Mason Hamlin Grand piano that was on consignment a few years back. All of these materials are adversely affected by humidity that is either too high, too low, or that fluctuates. He showed me the diagnostic about where our piano had problems. Order a 100% Wool Custom String Cover and. d = document; This unit works more effectively than a dehumidifier or a humidifier placed outside of your piano. Enjoy this page? Ideally humidity should be about 45% Unless your home has climate control and central humidity control it is advisable to protect your piano by getting some form of humidity control. He is very timely as well, with fair prices. Moore's Piano service went above and beyond and now the piano doesn't even sound like the same instrument! 262k members in the piano community. The humidity control system is called the Piano Life Saver, and I am a certified field expert in the installation of these units for both grand and vertical pianos. It's made primarily of wood, a versatile and beautiful material ideal for piano construction. Schedule at your convenience online and get timely confirmations and reminders of appointment. It was one of the most delightful pianos I have ever played. Never before had I seen in a short time what low humidity can do to devastate a piano. Ron was excellent. The reason why is simply because I know that environmental humidity changes are one of the greatest factors to tuning stability and preservation of a fine piano. to destroy your piano. The boards need not be thick. We service each system at the time of the piano's tuning to keep the unit performing at its highest level of operation. Walmart does not sell the heater bar or the humidistat unit. The larger the piano and the more substantial the workmanship the more resistant the instrument will be to humidity change. So far so goodthe pitch is staying fairly constant as well as the tuning. A properly humidified room ensures that the whole piano is getting the benefits of stable humidity levels, whether the piano is under warranty or older. Pianos function at their best when they are kept at a constant level of humidity, around 45% Relative Humidity (RH) is a good level to try to maintain. Paypal.me/TotalPianoCare to send a payment. Sometimes they should not be used under any circumstances. Maintaining the correct environment will preserve your piano investment for a lifetime of enjoyment. Posted on October 11, 2012 | By Alona, and more accurately, humidity are critical elements in the care of any musical instrument. I usually always try to encourage my clients to ad a lifesaver system to their piano when they purchase a piano from me. Pianos and Humidity Fluctuations in humidity are the primary contributors for an instrument going out of tune. Amazon.com: piano humidifier 1-48 of 319 results for "piano humidifier" RESULTS Price and other details may vary based on product size and color. If you have heated floors, use a rug or caster cups. My experience shows the the RH frequently fluctuates . From beginning to end, our experience with Ron Moore was wonderful. If your piano happens to be in a basement, a dehumidifier would become a necessity. What was a immaculate perfect soundboard was now a mess. . Add to Cart. Also, gave us advice on what the humidity should be in our home to keep the piano at its best. AND the piano sounds great! However, they are not a replacement for getting the piano tuned. Ron was by far the best piano tuner we've used in the 7 years we've had our piano. Many differing opinions are floating around as to what is the best way to provide humidity control for a piano. One solution, especially for a piano that goes drastically out of tune due to seasonal changes, is to have a Dampp-Chaser humidity control system installed inside your piano. Each system consists of a humidifier, a dehumidifier, and a humidistat (like a thermostat for humidity) which adds or removes humidity as needed to provide constant stability to your piano from within. Single Room: If you are most concerned about ensuring that the room your piano is in has the right balance of humidity, a single room humidifier might be your best option. Dampp-Chaser Humidity Control System There is a humidity control system specially made for and widely used in pianos called the Dampp-Chaser Piano Life Saver. Think Bigger. A Dampp-Chaser system automatically controls a piano's micro-climate. Call us at 909-824-2561 if you have any questions or if you wish to make an appointment for our piano services. It can be difficult to control the climate of a larger space, but that is exactly what the new piano owner is responsible to think about and implement. Definitely appreciated his professionalism. Humidity swells wood and in the winter when you turn on the heat, furnaces lower humidity and wood can dry out and crack. A special humidity control system designed specifically for pianos is available from Wood Piano Service. A humidistat regulates the humidity, similar to the way your thermostat regulates temperature. Great experience from online scheduling through service call. The Piano Life Saver System will not do this. Don't bother going to anyone but Moore Piano. Newer spinets and consoles are not faring as well. Use A humidifier. Piano Humidity Control. It is also said that such logs make better musical instruments. Often, the technician who installed the unit takes care of the pads, but it is very important that the piano owner keep filling it with water when the light blinks. I dondon't think a 60,000 Sternway would stay in tune for more than a year in her house. The Piano Life Saver System will enable your instrument to maintain proper pitch between tunings and protect the myriad of tiny wooden parts that make up a piano. The pianos pitch will be adversely affected by the fluctuating humidity, and a technician will need to correct the pitch before tuning the piano, passing the cost on to you. When the humidity is low, the piano releases moisture and shrinks. M. Steinert & Sons does not advocate for Dampp-Chaser products for new pianos under warranty, except where extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations necessitate their use, such as in many schools and churches. We were extremely happy with the results and price of his services. Greater Denver Piano Humidity Control System Installation . It sounds silly, but it actually worked, and it will work to increase the humidity level in your home as well. Acoustic Piano Accessories For all your acoustic piano needs from piano polish to piano heaters to Katz Klip bookholders, Castor Cups, piano keys and more. On a very small scale, the soundboard moves and vibrates to act as a transducer and project the soundwaves into the room. The reason those old uprights were so massive from the turn of the century was because our nation was so large from east coast to the west coast that during the frontier days there was a call for a piano that could withstand the brutal climate variations of our nation. The piano will detune in a chaotic way that will sound unpleasant to the ear. He was top notch. He offered to wear cloth boots in our home so he didn't track dirt in. Humidifier options are basically standalone units, HVAC units, or in-piano units like the Dampp-Chaser. The Piano Life Saver System is manufactured by the Dampp-Chaser Corporation, which for the past 71 years hashas been manufacturing products that provide humidity control for small, enclosed spaces, from the smallest closet to the biggest grand piano. People often ask me what is the best temperature to maintain in my house for my piano? He was top notch. CONSIDER THAT YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU GET. If you would like to receive more information about the Dampp-Chaser Very happy with Moore's piano service! In most north American climates wide swings of . When I was 15 years old I told my music teacher in high school, that I wanted to go to college as a music major. But the client heated the room entirely all winter with a propane wall heater. He took his time, spending meticulous hours on our tuning and cleaning. Did a great job, was timely about his appointment and very friendly to work with. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind for maintaining proper humidity in your home is to keep it at about 42%. A piano is at its happiest when it is kept in a museum-like environment: 42-43% relative humidity year round without fluctuation is the target. I'd recommend him in a heartbeat to others. Major changes of +/-20% are what were concerned with. At Mickeburgh we stock a great selection of acoustic piano accessories. To understand the issue more I would recommend you read my article "Digital Pianos Facts or Fiction" Generally speaking a good acoustic piano that can hold up to climate change and fluctuation of humidity are very expensive. Click on the HTML link code below. This may seem like a large range, but it really depends on the overall climate of where the piano is kept. He showed me the diagnostic about where our piano had problems. When humidity is high, wood expands with the moisture; when humidity is low the wood can become too dry and crack, if humidity is too high for too long it can cause glue joints to fail. Headquartered in Hendersonville, NC, Dammp-Chasers products are used around the country and around the world. Call us today. The quick answer is ready for this it depends! A responsible piano owner will take the proper precautions to ensure Many piano manufacturers describe this as abusive in the wording of their warranties. ), you need to consider adding humidity to your home especially in the room where your piano resides. 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