CAUT

  • 1.  Steinway water damage assessment questions

    Posted 05-02-2018 17:11
    Dear colleagues,

    I am in need of your expertise regarding a Steinway B that sustained water damage.  Apparently a pipe leaked in the ceiling above the bass end of the piano over a weekend several weeks ago.  This may have been condensation that accumulated in an evaporation tray that overflowed.  Our facilities stated there were several loose fittings and so it could have been a combination of both.  Nevertheless, the water dripped on the bass end and saturated the keys, keyframe, and keybed.  There was some minor finish damage.  There was noticeable water spots on the stretcher bar in the area of the bass pins adjacent to the area of the serial number on the plate.  I could not see evidence of water on the plate around the pins, but am concerned there may have been some that got to the pinblock especially since there are no plate bushings.

    There does not appear to be direct water damage to the action, back action, or hammers.

    This is a 12 year old B that is the primary piano in one of our piano faculty studios.  

    I have inquired regarding replacement keyframe and keys from Steinway.  About $6 K just for the parts.  I have consulted with Bob at Pianotek and also with Pianocrafters in Michigan regarding repair and replacement of the damaged parts.  There have been others that have questioned the long term effect(s) of the water/humidity to the piano in general.

    Any thoughts and opinions are welcome.  I have to write up a comprehensive plan to submit to our director and the university Insurance Risk Manager in the immediate future.

    Thank you for your feedback.


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    [Henry] [Nicolaides] []
    [Piano Technician]
    [Southern Illinois University]
    [Carbondale] [IL]
    [618-967-3796][henryn@siu.edu]
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  • 2.  RE: Steinway water damage assessment questions

    Posted 05-02-2018 17:35
    Henry,  We had similar sounding water damage to a 1 year old B last Summer here at BU/Music, I will  email you privately with some recommendations  and procedures......martin

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    Martin Snow
    Boston MA
    617-543-1030
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  • 3.  RE: Steinway water damage assessment questions

    Posted 05-03-2018 08:41
    I would suggest you take out 1 or 2 tuning pins in bass area nearest to where water came in. Have a replacement string on hand as it may break when letting tension down! Look for rust on pin and smell for moisture odor I learn alot with my nose! 

    If there is rust or obvious corrosion that's a concern but not a death sentence. 

    What about key bushings? Are they already out in the bass area? 

    Good luck! 

    Stephen R. Duncan RPT
    Piano Technician
    UNC-Greensboro
    School of Music 
    336-847-6310





  • 4.  RE: Steinway water damage assessment questions

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-02-2018 19:38
    Hello Henry,

    If I might ask, have you tried tuning it since the incident? That would seem to me like a logical first step. Make sure that it's still serviceable in the most basic way (after letting it thoroughly dry out, of course).

    Second, how are the keys doing? Are they holding up ok, or sticking up due to absorbing that much water? How are the key tops? Would it be possible to completely dismantle the parts that got wet and let them dry for a bit?

    Have at least one gifted pianist play the piano and tell you if there's anything that they notice out of the usual. Listen to the pianist....

    Hope this helps. Keep us informed!


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    Benjamin Sanchez
    Professional Piano Services
    (805)315-8050
    www.professional-piano-services.com
    BenPianoPro@comcast.net
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  • 5.  RE: Steinway water damage assessment questions

    Posted 05-02-2018 20:02
    After rebuilding and delivering a Fischer grand, I get a call 2 months later. Apparently there was a bathroom directly above the room the piano was in. A pipe bust, and water was pouring onto the piano below. The family immediately got the water turned off and started removing water from the piano. I wasn't there, but I'm sure they were in a panic state. They told me there was a 1/2" of water on the soundboard.
    We'll there quick action really helped. In the end, I had to replace a few hammers, repin some whippens, replace some felt, rebuild 2 keys. Surprisingly, the pinblock, tuning pins, and music wire were un harmed somehow. 
    All I did was inspect and replace/repair the few parts effected by water. The cost of repairs came out to $1200. 
    There quick action probably saved the piano.
      -chris

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    A hunter's drumbeat steers the stampeding herd,
    His belly growls in hunger to what he sees.
    The mammoth aware blows his mighty trumpet,
    But alas, the caveman tickles the ivories.

    chernobieffpiano.com
    865-986-7720
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  • 6.  RE: Steinway water damage assessment questions

    Member
    Posted 05-03-2018 00:07
    I had a client with a Kawai Grand right under an upstairs whirlpool tub that leaked through the ceiling. two things saved it -the lid was closed and the woolen string cover sucked up the water like a sponge. the only problem was a swollen cheek block at the bass end. your case sounds far worse . i would check as much as i could with moisture meters to see what amount of moisture is really in the wood- it is not always visible . you need to be concerned about warping in the keysticks, loosening of the key buttons, key bushing and keypunching, keyframe, keybed, and glue joints. a weeks long monitoring program is worth setting up taking pictures, notes, looking for cracks, swollen joints, key lead tightness. I recently condemned an upright that was under a leaking roof and ceiling and had black mold growing in it.
    check the keyframe for levelling as well as the keybed, keytop separation from keystick

    other things that could have been effected include the integrity of the glue in the hammer felts, dampers, damper guide rail bushings, felts in action centers, damper wires. water can do lots of damage in  short time . how long was it before the leak was discovered ? did it start on friday and go unnoticed ?

     caution about settling a claim too soon- you can have things go south weeks and months later. a baldwin acro that was in a foot of water just a few days was removed to a dry in town location. i took moisture readings all over and the levels went down to a safe level. not long after things started to fall apart, crack apart, separate go dead. soundboard crack opened up, bridge cap lifter, bass strings went dead, pedals corroded, bottom board cracked, rear bottom beam came unglued, damper felts came off their dowels , keys warped

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    James Kelly
    Pawleys Island SC
    843-325-4357
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