Water damaged piano

[markymark]

I was talking to a former colleague today who was relaying the story of how her husband's imperfect DIY job resulted in an untightened fossett letting water leak from the first floor to the ground floor. Amongst other things, her piano was soaked by water running down the wall. According to her, the water has run into the piano and that they have used a blow heater to start drying out the piano.

I advised her not to do that because it would cause the wood on the (rather old) piano to dry out too quickly and may result in wood splitting but I was not sure as to an alternative method, besides letting it dry out slowly by perhaps turning up the radiators in the room. Having said that, that sounds dodgy too. What do you do in that situation? It was my understanding that if water got inside the piano that it was not worth salvaging. Veneer is starting to come off since drying and apparently keys are now sticking too obviously due to water absorption. Is drying out the piano a lost cause and if not, what is the best way of dealing with this?

[Barrie Heaton]

They need to contact the insurance to see what pol they have and if it has an excess as quite often the cost of repair is more than the cost of a new one

They need to get in an expert not just a tuner someone who reconditions and who has work on water damaged pianos before. Drying out the piano can work to a point if its got in the action and on the beam rail then a new action is needed. They would be better off with a new piano

8 out of 10 pianos I look at that have had direct contact with water end up condemned

But if they have not named the piano on the insurance they will have problems getting the full amount with most insurances


Barrie

[vernon]

If the insurance will stand it insist on a replacement piano.
Otherwise, leave the piano meanwhile to dry out slowly in a warm(not hot) atmosphere for several months.
Then have it examined for structural failings. Bear in mind that defects can show up after many months as the pearl glue may have softened and then hardened up giving a temporary appearance of structural integrity.
Replacement every time.