Humidity control

[Pmcgreal]

Hi,
I just bought a new Yamaha GB1KPE 5' Grand piano. I live in New England where it is "very" dry in the winter.
The ideal humidity for a piano is between 45% - 55%. I have a small room humidifier which does not do the trick.
The room is 165sq/ft.

Any recommendations on brands/models?
Regards
Pat

 

[happyrat1]

What's wrong with the existing humidifier? 50% humidity will induce condensation on window glass and exterior facing walls. That's really pretty damp for a humidor.

 

[happyrat1]

You could always improve the environment with a few strategically placed tropical plants and grow lights.

 

[Old No7]

Life-long New Englander here...

Gary's ideas will help for sure.

The type of heat can have an impact too...

* Forced hot water (baseboard) -- then you'll need to add some moisture.

* Old, drafty, NE house made in 1800s with cast iron radiators -- if they have covers, put pans of water on them (just under the covers), or underneath on the floor (if no covers) to add some moisture into the air. (We had to do that decades ago just for comfortable living, even without having a piano.)

* If you have forced hot air, then a waterline could be added to a main air duct to humidify that part of the house.

Your heating company -- or the local place you bought the piano? -- might be able to give you some other ideas.

Old No7

 

[Pmcgreal]

What's wrong with the existing humidifier? 50% humidity will induce condensation on window glass and exterior facing walls. That's really pretty damp for a humidor.

The existing one is too small and only raises the humidity to 32%. This is well below the recommendation for an acoustic piano.
As I mentioned earlier, 45% - 55% is recommended. The house has 2x6 construction, is well insulated and has double pain windows.

 

[Pmcgreal]

You could always improve the environment with a few strategically placed tropical plants and grow lights.

Hi,
The room has several plants and 4 lights at this point.

 

[Pmcgreal]

Life-long New Englander here...

Gary's ideas will help for sure.

The type of heat can have an impact too...

* Forced hot water (baseboard) -- then you'll need to add some moisture.

* Old, drafty, NE house made in 1800s with cast iron radiators -- if they have covers, put pans of water on them (just under the covers), or underneath on the floor (if no covers) to add some moisture into the air. (We had to do that decades ago just for comfortable living, even without having a piano.)

* If you have forced hot air, then a waterline could be added to a main air duct to humidify that part of the house.

Your heating company -- or the local place you bought the piano? -- might be able to give you some other ideas.

Old No7

The house was built in the mid 90's, 2x6 walls (well insulated), double pane windows and has base board forced hot water heat. This makes for a "very" dry environment.

 

[Pmcgreal]

To metaphor the line from Jaws (gonna need a bigger boat) I think I simply need a stronger humidifier.

 

[Rayblewit]

Maybe I am naive. . .
But what is the problem with dry air?
How does this affect a piano?

 

[Pmcgreal]

Maybe I am naive. . .
But what is the problem with dry air?
How does this affect a piano?

The internet can explain it better than I can.

Dry air is bad for a piano because the wood components (soundboard, pinblock, action) shrink, causing cracks, loose tuning pins, and sticky keys, leading to poor tone, going flat, and potentially severe, costly damage, disrupting the delicate tension needed for proper sound and playability.

Conversely,
Too much humidity is bad for a piano because its wooden parts absorb moisture, causing them to swell, leading to sticky keys, sluggish action, and increased string tension that makes the piano sound sharp; it also promotes rust on metal components (strings, pins) and can cause glue joints to fail, damaging the soundboard, bridges, and overall structure, leading to tuning instability and costly repairs, with the ideal range being around 40-50% relative humidity.

It is "extremely" important to take proper care of a quality acoustic piano regardless of the price if you want it to last and sound good. Even with all of that they should be tuned about twice per year.

 

[Biggles]

For many years my job was the Hospital Engineer at an Acute Infirmary, we had a suite of operating Theatres, Baby Delivery Rooms and an Acute Care Baby Unit which were all fully air conditioned.

The temperature was controlled to 70°F (75°F in the Baby unit) and a Relative Humidity of 50%.

Too low a Humidity anywhere can result in breathing difficulties and a build up and subsequent discharge of Static Electricity.

I cannot suggest a specific make of Humidifier but do suggest buying a well known make.

A local air conditioning contractor can or rather should, be able to design and install a system that will do the job and will not require the daily filling and emptying of containers.

 

[Rayblewit]

because . .

Thanks . Nicely explained.

 

[Old No7]

The house was built in the mid 90's, 2x6 walls (well insulated), double pane windows and has base board forced hot water heat. This makes for a "very" dry environment.

Yup, your house is cheaper to heat that way, but it's "too tight"... I once showed my dad a slight gap under the back cellar door which allowed some slight air in -- and I was planning to close it up -- he advised me "not to do so" as the house "needed to breathe", and he said the furnace needed fresh air to operate safely and effectively. I'd mentioned that to the burner tech and he agreed 100%.

Then again, even the outside air is dry this time of year, oh well...

Anyway, I'd still suggest you check with the piano dealer -- as they have to be dealing with similar conditions (unless you shipped it in from California...).

Good luck.

Old No7

 

[happyrat1]

I'd recommend a Honeywell Drum Type Humidifier. Avoid the ultrasonic atomizer type. They have a tendency to leave crystalized mineral deposits on nearby surfaces. The drum type uses true evaporation to deliver moisture while the ultrasonic type atomizes everything, including the dissolved limestone and rust in the tap water.

Amazon.com : honeywell drum humidifier

Amazon.com: AIRCARE Space Saver Large Evaporative Whole House Commercial 6 Gallon Humidifier for Large Rooms 2,700 sq ft. With Digital Controls, Auto Humidistat and Automatic Shut Off : Home & Kitchen

Amazon.com: AIRCARE Space Saver Large Evaporative Whole House Commercial 6 Gallon Humidifier for Large Rooms 2,700 sq ft. With Digital Controls, Auto Humidistat and Automatic Shut Off : Home & Kitchen

www.amazon.com

 

[mwtzzz]

Is there really much concern about this? I grew up New Mexico, we had a piano for decades there, we never used a humidifier, the piano didn't seem to have any problems.