Pianotech

I have a customer with a piano that suffered smoke damage. I am contemplating using an ozone generator to kill the smoke odor from the felts. Does anyone have any experience with ozone generators damaging metal parts?

Roger

Use the search function because this subject has been written about before. There may be specific journal articles as well under fire damaged pianos, ozone ,cleaning pianos exposed to smoke. I think ozone will cause damage but  much of the damage comes from the smoke and gases in a fire as well as water damage. I condemned 2 pianos exposed to smoke bass strings where going dead, blackening of the sound board and back beams. It also gave off  really pungent odor like a burned out campfire How much insurance is there to cover the instrument ? are you working with an insurance company or claims agent ? Even if you treat it there can be problems down the road so make that understood.

Restoration companies I have worked with have good results with reducing or eliminating smoke odors with ozone generators.  I cannot comment on their effect on the corrosive effects, but I suspect that the smoke and water damage is the primary culopret and ozone only degrades the odors and contributes negligably to corrosion.

I do suspect that if you have signifigant smoke damage the piano is irreparably damaged, at least requiring a complete rebuild that, in most cases is beyond the value of the instrument.

Excepting sentimental value, replacement cost of a used instrument is cheaper, perhaps much cheaper than the cost of appropriate restoration.

I speak from frustrated experience. 

Hi Roger,

You have some great responses here already.

I totally agree. I've done several insurance jobs on smoke-damaged pianos, and I quote high, ie, replace everything… strings, hammers, felt, understring felt, felt parts, etc.. the only thing I'm saving is action parts if they can be cleaned, and, every non-porous surface needs to be thoroughly cleaned multiple times. 

Even after all of that, you still have the possibility of latent smoke smell. The ozone is limited because of the multiple crevices, products and materials in a piano. As soon as the humidity comes back in with seasonal change, the smell can come back.

When modern synthetic materials burn, they seem to leave a chemical soup behind that is extremely difficult to remove, especially from porous materials.

In additional to an ozone treatment, you might also look into Cory Products smoke removal products. They work well.

Also, check with your state laws. In some states (California, for instance, at least when I lived there) have outlawed ozone generators. Even if you wanted to try it, it may not be an option for you. 

Roger  .... I should think this is an insurance claim and it needs to get settled unless the client does not file a claim. You did not mention if the piano is a vertical or a grand,If the piano is a Steinway or a pso , how old the piano is etc. It may not be worth what it takes to clean /treat only to have it all go south in a month or two.

The extent of smoke, fire and heat have a lot to do with the damage. As pointed out it could still emit smoke odors after ozone treatment- I tuned a grand that was in a fire and was cleaned up. It still gave off odors in the action cavity and the hammer felt. 

It may be the time to look around for a replacement piano that is equivalent to the damaged one and see if insurance will cover it. Insurance companies will likely only allow the depreciated value unless the instrument had replacement coverage or equivalent coverage. f the piano has a high value it is not a bad idea to have a seperate rider policy 

Jessica,

Household ozone generators were common and popular a few years back.  Using an ozone generator in a smokey house does coat the walls with soot, but deodorizing a piano or furniture is another animal.

I agree that too much ozone is unhealthy, but deodorizing a piano is usually done under a tarp or in a small enclosed space and no one should be exposed to any significant amount of it.  

From my (somewhat limited) experience ozone is much more effective than sprays (which probably contain ozone generating chemicals anyway).