A Piano's Worst Enemy

Pianos come in all shapes, sizes and sorts.  Whether it's a spinet piano or a concert grand, at the end of the day, one thing all pianos have in common - they are like automobiles.

The age of an automobile does not have to be its enemy. Our vehicles can be kept up with regular "tune-ups." We see parades of classic cars whose owners have dedicated time and investment to ensure their prized cars have long life. The resale value of those cars are higher, when called upon, they are dependable transportation and in spite of the cost to keep them maintained, the cost cannot compare to having an automobile that any onlooker would admire.

Statistics indicate that 1 out of 3 homes have a piano that should be receiving tunings at least annually. With that number in mind, if pianos were tuned according to their manufacturers recommendation, we would have an official piano tuner shortage.

A piano's worst enemy is neglect.  N-E-G-L-E-C-T is defined as "to give little attention or respect to, to leave undone or unattended to, especially through carelessness."

At times, pianos tuners will find toys, dead plant leaves, rusted strings, hammers that are harder than a rock and smells that remind you of the last time you went mushroom hunting, all inside a piano.  With this in mind, I want to share a few things that may help you to know what you can do to protect your piano investment.

Regularly Scheduled Tunings - Pianos are unlike many other instruments. You can put some instruments in storage for years.  When you take the instrument out of storage, the instrument is ready to go well before you are.  Pianos are not so. Pianos need tuning even if they are not played regularly.

Control Temperature and Humidity - Pianos need humidity in the air during the dry indoor months of Iowa winters. In the high humid spring and summer, pianos feel the high humidity like the rest of us. These environments can't be eliminated but they can be controlled. The best way to accomplish this is to have a humidity control system installed.  The ideal relative humidity level is 42% as recommended by the Piano Technicians Guild. Keeping the humidity levels as consistent as possible will keep the piano tuning stable and extend the life of the piano.

Piano Placement - In older homes where the insulation in the exterior walls is less than ideal, pianos should be placed near an interior wall. Be sure the piano is not next to an air duct which will cause extreme changes in the environment around the piano. Avoid direct sunlight on your piano.

No Water - Keep plants, vases, drinks and anything dealing with water away from the piano.

Piano Polish - Don't use regular furniture polish on the piano. Dust with a microfiber cloth and use special piano cleaning solution.  Close the key lid when not using the piano to avoid "things" from falling into them and to keep the keys dust free.  Click here to visit the Piano Beauty Shop for piano-safe polish and cleaners.

Save Your Back - Don't try to move the piano without a professional piano mover.  Click HERE for a professional piano mover.

Play the Piano - Pianos are like airplanes. Airplanes were meant to fly - Pianos were meant to play. Regular tunings and much playing is the best fitness plan for your piano.

Save Money - We all love to save money. You save money by having the piano tuned regularly. A neglected piano will cost you a lot of money to bring it back to life. In some cases, a neglected piano can only be saved by costly repairs or restoration work.

Get excited about your piano again!

Life is like a piano...

what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.