Piano Guidance
Photo by Pixabay Pexels Logo Photo: Pixabay

Can a piano get wet?

Exposure to water of any kind can be damaging to a piano. Even extreme temperature changes, or a sudden increase/decrease in humidity can create an unstable environment for a piano, requiring extensive regulation of the action and numerous tunings to bring it back to proper performance levels.

What key is Lalisa?
What key is Lalisa?

E-flat major The track's production utilizes "provocative" brass riffs and dynamic rhythms that are reminiscent of sounds of sirens, and...

Read More »
Can a piano be permanently out of tune?
Can a piano be permanently out of tune?

If neglected for a long period of time (the actual number of years varies by quality), the piano may lose its ability to be tuned. At this point, a...

Read More »

posted by

It doesn’t take a natural disaster to fill your home with water. A broken pipe, a busted water heater, or even a leaky roof can open up the potential damage to any room in your home. And if your piano happens to sit in that room, it could face extensive water damage too.

Once a piano has been subjected to water, can it be saved? Can you repair a piano with water damage?

Exposure to water of any kind can be damaging to a piano. Even extreme temperature changes, or a sudden increase/decrease in humidity can create an unstable environment for a piano, requiring extensive regulation of the action and numerous tunings to bring it back to proper performance levels. If a piano has been sitting in water that has risen to the level of the case or higher, it will most likely be too damaged to be restored or replaced. When the case, soundboard, strings and action are exposed to water, it can cause glue failure, an integral part of the structure of the piano. The rim and the keybed are the most critical elements to a functioning piano. Once exposed to water, the glue begins disintegrating and cannot effectively be repaired. The strings in a piano have a combined tension of several tons of pressure. Once the water begins penetrating this force, it severely compromises its playability. Keep in mind that water damage isn’t always an obvious, immediate act. In some cases it is possible to dry out a piano and assume its working fine. The effects may not be truly noticeable until six or nine months down the road. For a piano that has been sitting in a few inches of water, but the water level has not reached the level of the case, the piano may not be ruined beyond repair. However, moisture will have caused damage, and will have exposed the piano to further damage from things like expansion, contraction, rust and warping. Once moisture makes contact with a piano, restoration is the only way to ensure that it moves back to its working condition. Humidity can cause rust to form on any of the metal parts in a piano, including the strings, tuning pins, action, hardware, or plates that support the tension of the strings. The glue joints and wood grain of the soundboard can be impacted, allowing it to expand and contract to the point of cracking the wood.

Mold and bacteria can form in different places throughout the casing.

The finish can be damaged, with cracking, checking and other finish defects impacting its look. In all cases, early action can put restoration potential on your side. As soon as possible, contact your insurance agent to begin the process of reimbursement, and connect with us to begin evaluating the possibilities of restoring your piano. The only way to determine if its possible is to look at its potential. Timing is everything; the quicker you can begin, the better your chance of saving your piano.

Is G7 still A thing?
Is G7 still A thing?

The G7 is not based on a treaty and has no permanent secretariat or office. It is organized through a presidency that rotates annually among the...

Read More »
Is a piano ever Untunable?
Is a piano ever Untunable?

If your piano is old, was poorly manufactured, neglected, or some combination of the three, your piano might be untunable. This is most often a...

Read More »

How many years is grade 8 piano?

As the other answer states, I've had players pass grade 8 after 4 or 5 years and others who never got there, all from the same starting point. It will also depend on how frequent/long your lessons are, whether you are young with 'loads of spare time', a 'married with kids, working man', you probably get the picture!

You have to be either (1) highly motivated or (2) have somebody really pushing you (parent, spouse, teacher, etc.) to get to grades 7 and 8. After more than 60 years playing and 50 years teaching, my "comfort level" is still about grade four or so and I have to really push myself to play grade 6 pieces. But then I don't consider myself primarily a performer-- more a composer, arranger, orchestrator, and theoretician. If I had devoted the time to skill aquirement that I did to those latter things I have no doubt I'd be at 7-8 long since. I've had students reach grade 8 in three years, and others never reach it in twenty. As to whether what you've attained in five years is "good" or "bad," the answer is "neither." Value judgements don't help.

What layout do the fastest typists use?
What layout do the fastest typists use?

DVORAK A lot of tests and demonstrations have shown that DVORAK is a lot better than QWERTY. Estimates are that you can be more than 60 per cent...

Read More »
Who is the head of the devil?
Who is the head of the devil?

Meaning: Inspired by the skull's nickname “the head of the devil”, the researchers drew from Malawi culture for the name Lende – a sinister figure...

Read More »
Can a 3 year old play guitar?
Can a 3 year old play guitar?

Children as young as 5 years old can learn to play the guitar. Some even start younger at about 3, but you also have to consider the child's...

Read More »
Do p45s still exist?
Do p45s still exist?

The form was eliminated from 1 January 2019, having been replaced by a real-time reporting of tax details to Revenue.

Read More »