I figure I could save some money.

Joey,

It is always better to control the environment if you can. Why not just use a room humidifier and be vigilant in its use?

That will do the trick!

Cheers!

Yea, good call. I am now pricing whole house ones. they do not look too difficult to install.

Whole house??

Do a little homework, Joey. Some models do well and... some do not. There are inexpensive designs for forced air that simply do not do the job.

My gut says you'll definitely spend more $$ going this route, but you will get more benfits as well.

Please keep us posted as this is a technology that is developing. You might teach us a thing or two.

My old teacher used a glass jar with water in it and put it in the bottom of the piano, she said the piano store she bought the piano from told her to do that.

Its a yamaha studio piano just an fyi.

Joey,
I purchased a decent room humidifier just last week for about a hundred dollars. It runs from four to six hours a day. It brought the humidity of the room up quite nicely. The humidity in the room now varies less than five percent even with forced-air heating. I don't put it anywhere near the piano. It is upstairs and there is enough air circulation that the house's climate is improved as well as a result of the increase in humidity.

Colorado winters are generally bone-dry, so this was a good move, especially in a piano with an original 92 year-old sound board.

What I noticed more than anything is that the piano's tone is much more consistent than it was before using the humidifier, and as well, controlling the environment with more consistency will help to maintain an already very stable tuning.

Glen

I plan on FIRST measuring my humidity. It may be that I am fine. Secondly, I am leaning towards an April Aire home humidifier. I can get a hole home humidifier for under $300 and install myself. My home is all wood floors so it would also benefit my house as well. The unit has a humistat as well.

This is an old story, but a jar of water will not supply any serious humidification.

I use a room humidifier as well. It's an Air-O-Swiss, and it has a built in hygrometer and you can program it to keep the room at a set humidity level.

I started using a console humidifier this season which has a humidistat control. I am also running a cool mist vapor and warm mist vapor depending on the outside temperature. The output from all three running at maximum managed to keep the humidity at around 40% on the extreme coldest days (3-10 degrees f overnight lows) by adding 8-10 gallons of water to the air daily to this floor of my house (approx. 1500sq/ft). I use a second humidistat to monitor the humidity. They do not agree in percentages but do correspond in swings.

Just as an fyi for others, using filtered tap water for the two tabletop units has minimized white dust from the cool mist and mineral scale in the warm mist.

I was surprised how much water it took to get the level up around 40%. I haven't had any real problem with condensation on doors or windows at that level but the windows have all been replaced with new energy efficient units. I have forced air heat/ac. Will certainly look at a more permanent solution when the HVAC has to be replaced.

All that being said to get to this point, my pianos have kept rather in tune all winter thus far and I hope I am protecting them structurally too.

I bought a "12-gal." room humidifier this season, to use in addition to my Dampp-Chaser. The manufacturer calls it a "whole house" humidifier, but I guess that's only true if your house is only as big as my living room.

I can't just set and forget it, because the family objects to the heat circulation we lose by closing the living room doors, so I'm always tinkering with it. Plus it's a pain because it fills (inefficiently) from a large plastic bottle. Running it boosts our electric bill too. We'll see how long I have the patience for this...but I figure I'm being extra nice to my piano.

Now I just need an air conditioner for our Eastern summers...yikes.

I understand winters running the humidifier but how about in summers with air on?

I got a cheap $40 humidifier (Crane). My rh started below what my hygrometer could read. When I first used it it got to 38%. Now high 20s seems average. It supposed to cover 250sq feet, which is bigger than the room, but it doesn't seem effective. Don't know if I need 2 or just a better one.

Anyone know if white dust is a problem? I see it clinging to my TV, but so far nothing seems to be on the piano. I do plan of investing on distilled water, if I can find it cheap.

The white dust is the minerals in the water left behind after it evaporates. Yes, it can be tough to clean off, especially here in NM where our water is hard enough to float horseshoes.

--Cy--

And the jar doesn't have an 'off' position. It's adding humidity when you don't need it, too.

Think of it clinging to your lungs as well.

I and several other members use a VENTA airwash. Small house, small music room. I go through 1-2 gallons of water a day with electric heat used in the other rooms and only a small electric quartz heater at my computer desk while I am there.

I also have a DC installed

Family members have tried the whole house furnace thing. They gave up.

why did they give up lily?

For the people in the house, we have an AprilAire (spelling?) humidifier on the main air outlet of our gas furnace. It can keep the house humid enough for the windows to sweat excess moisture when it's very cold outside. About 30% is what our old windows can take if it's in the 20's F outside.

For the grand piano, I have a DampChaser with the humidifier tank and bar as well as the dehumidifier bars for the summer. Tunings are much more stable with this system; wear and tear on the soundboard is reduced. If you can possibly afford it, I recommend having your tech put this system on for you.

There is a significant mark up on the cost of the system to install, because these systems are money makers for techs (hey, nothing wrong with that). You might be able to negotiate a discount if you have a regular tuning and maintenance relationship with a tech.

Does anyone sell these piano systems where I can install it myself? I am torn with all the options.

Joey,

Simpler is better. Begin with a room humidifier. Its cheap and it works.

You cannot install a Dampchaser yourself. I mean, you can, but installation of the components will effect the performance. Sloppy or misplaced installation = too dry or too moist, which kind of defeats the purpose, IMHO.

Rich

What kind of humidifiers do you use at Cunningham if any? I hear Venta is a good brand.

Tom

If you have soft water do you still run into problems with the white dust? What price range does the Venta humidifier run approximately? Is it easy to use?

I have priced Venta from $200 to $350, although I do not believe they have humistats?? I can not find one in the literature. I am leaning more to an Aprilaire now with total control 600 version. I can get the unit with install kit for $270 shipped. It does not look too difficult to install.

Because they did not work. Could not handle putting out the humidity needed to be comfortable (35 RH) and one of them caused a flood in the cellar with a broken water pipe for the continuous feed.

Yes, the Venta's cost $200-$350 depending on size (they are small - 1 cubic ft plus) and they don't have a humdistat. One of those is in the room checked daily. Cost was $20 online. Placed on the piano. I keep the room about 40 RH. Good for the piano, good for people.

Relatively cheap, easy, do it yourself program!

from what I have been reading, the newer whole home units are wonderful. Many have told me that if the unit is not larger than what is needed, you may never reach a 35-45%. I have decided on an Aprilaire 600 (self install $275) for many reasons but mostly it is an automatic process because it also considers outside air temp in factoring how much the unit works. The Ventas are nice but due to a lack of humidstat, they seem more an issue of controlling the fluctuations of turning it on and off.

Air-O-Swiss room humidifier works great, measures the humidity, shuts off when it reaches the user-defined setting. Filter changes are easy and not required that frequently. No white dust whatsoever from the nebulizer.

The unit is located upstairs and the humidity in the main room downstairs where the piano is located remains constant.

Good luck with your installation.

Glen

Whole-house humidifiers are great. They need a two-speed blower fan in order to work (high/low), because otherwise when the furnace shuts off because it's warm enough, the humidifier can't keep working if it's still too dry (i.e. if the fan shuts off completely). When the air is warmer is exactly when you need more moisture.

A DIY humidifier for pianos that I haven't seen mentioned yet are the kind that are tubes that you soak in water, and then lay on the plate inside the piano. I haven't used them, but I've seen them advertised. It's certainly a no-brainer installation. Since it's a passive system, it probably doesn't control RH very well, but any steps you take to protect your piano are good ones.

--Cy--

What you can do is get a few large plants which use-up a lot of water.

plants are natural humidifiers.. ever been in a greenhouse?

Ok good advice all!

Ok after spending hours on the phone with aprilaire and honeywell, apparently based on house size and volume due to 15ft ceilings throughout home, a home installed humidifer is not going to cut it from what these manufactures are saying. They said it would not reach high rh to hit the 45% with one unit and i would need 2. Screw that.

Sooooo I purchased a Venta LW44 which would do most of the piano side of the home. I plan on using plant as well. I was also thinking a wall waterfall fountain also.

That is the one - the LW44 model. I hear they get the job done.

Let us hear how it does in a couple weeks if you will.