|
Welcome to the Piano World Piano Forums Over 3 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments. Over 100,000 members from around the world.
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
|
|
79 members (AaronSF, apianostudent, beeboss, brdwyguy, benkeys, Abdulrohmanoman, accordeur, 19 invisible),
2,241
guests, and
447
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 259
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 259 |
Hello everyone,
I'm trying to make it through the second Chicago winter since I bought my piano. We have a built-in humidifier (Aprilaire) in the house as part of our heating system. I found out in the fall, that our humidifier wasn't working properly last winter and we had some days where the gauge read in the high teens. Things have been better this winter, but I can't get the humidity any higher than the low to mid 30s when the temperature is moderately cold and not really out of the 20s when we've had temps in the teens or below zero.
I have a digital readout thermometer and humidity gauge and I've been keeping a close eye on it for the past year and half. Most of the year it's right around 38%. Only at the very end of the summer did it go up into the 40s and then stayed there through the early fall, then back down to the high 30s. We've been having bitterly cold temperatures for the past two months and until the worst of it set in, the humidity was in the low 30s. Now it has dropped into the mid to high 20s. We tend to keep the thermostat fairly constant and the temperature in the house is in the 68-69 range fairly constantly.
When should I start worrying about humidity levels? Are these lows dangerous for my piano? How dangerous? Is mid 20s-low 40s throught the year a big swing or fairly moderate?
I'm about due for a tuning, although the piano has sounded fine to me, but tonight it sounds a little buzzy, especially certain notes in the bass. I'm freaking out a bit that this cold weather and low humidity are going to damage the piano. Should I be worried? Or is this just some tuning problems due to the temperature and the time since I last tuned (6 months ago in June).
Another issue is that in the midst of having the humidifier repaired this fall, we had a hot water heater go out and had a tankless installed. The plumbers rehooked the line to the humidifier from the cold water instead of the hot. With a tankless, we probably woudn't get hot water flowing into the humidfier, but it seems that the cold water (really quite cold these days) might also be keeping our humidifer from giving us everything it's capable of.
Any thoughts from the experts out there?
Thanks in advance!
cscl Estonia 190 Satin Ebony ABF Recitals: x9 — Studio Recitals: x17 *
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 64
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 64 |
Dampp-Chaser asserts that ideal humidity is 42% for a piano. They guarantee that humidity to within +/- 5%. If you haven't already done so, I would recommend investing in a quality portable hygrometer and placing it on or near the piano for optimal measurement. I found the reading on my Carrier/Totaline "thermidistat" to be low by about 8-10%. If you can't get a higher humidity I would recommend the following: 1. Reprogram the "thermidistat" to power the humidifer anytime there is a need, vs. having the humidifier only work when there is a need AND the furnace is on. 2. Look into purchasing a powered fan unit instead of the customary bypass models. The bases are the same, so it would not require any extensive work. If you call the HVAC supply store, you might be able to get the contractor pricing, which is half of what retail customers pay in my experience. 3. I would definately try to find some way to replace the cold water feed to hot water. Maybe you could add a very small hot water heater just for the humidifier or maybe a small insulated hot water holding tank. You'll sleep better at night knowing, that even if there's no hot water for your spouse's morning shower, that your piano is getting the hot water that it needs. As I understand it, humidity control in cold climates helps keep both a stable tuning while also keeping the soundboard/pinblock from cracking. The tuning argument is definately valid. The soundboard cracking argument, imo, is overdone. I bet few, if any, piano dealers in cold climates have full humidity control in their showrooms for example. I could be wrong though.
Estonia L190 - 6789 'Hidden Beauty' Roland HP-203
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 259
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 259 |
Thanks Wadslee.
Any suggestions for a quality hygrometer? The one I have was, admittedly, rather on the cheap side. But I don't really know how well these work. My current one is an Acu-Rite. I keep it in the same room (very large with an open ceiling to the second floor), but well away from the piano (it has an extra probe for outdoor temp, so that has to go out the window).
Right now, I have our humidifier on manual and as high as it will go. Anytime the heat is on, it runs the full time.
We really like our tankless water heater, by the way, and it works well, but I was told by the plumber that the small water line to the humidifier won't trigger it on. However, I'm not convinced that even merely room temperature water wouldn't be better, although the plumber (not wanting to come back and fix the mistake tried to convince me it doesn't matter), but I can feel the cold pipe is really, really cold. I'm also wondering if it doesn't make the heater work harder because it blows over cold water along the way.
I think I'll try first to get the plumbers out for that fix and see if that helps.
Thanks again.
cscl Estonia 190 Satin Ebony ABF Recitals: x9 — Studio Recitals: x17 *
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,534
4000 Post Club Member
|
4000 Post Club Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,534 |
Originally posted by cscl: Thanks Wadslee.
We really like our tankless water heater, by the way, and it works well, but I was told by the plumber that the small water line to the humidifier won't trigger it on. However, I'm not convinced that even merely room temperature water wouldn't be better, although the plumber (not wanting to come back and fix the mistake tried to convince me it doesn't matter), but I can feel the cold pipe is really, really cold. I'm also wondering if it doesn't make the heater work harder because it blows over cold water along the way.
I think I'll try first to get the plumbers out for that fix and see if that helps.
Thanks again. I use to install April air humidifiers and I don't believe it is recommended to use a hot water line.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,534
4000 Post Club Member
|
4000 Post Club Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,534 |
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 285
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 285 |
When my tuner came and brought a hygrometer, it read 15 points lower than mine (cheap dial-type). His was a Radio Shack digital version. I think I've read here that those are pretty good. I'll go buy one.
I think 30% - 50% are considered pretty "safe".
I swear by Damp Chaser myself, as my windows are too old to hold in the humidity when it gets really cold outside.
-Nocty Not in the piano business. 1906 Baldwin C rebuilt 2008
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 18,356
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
|
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 18,356 |
Hey cscl, I just got through reading more about humidifiers than I ever wanted to, as I was purchasing one for the addition we're doing on the home. Here's a few random reactions sparked by your comments:
1.) If your furnace is a high efficiency gas furnace, it may not be running enough for your humidifier to be working effectively. That was the situation in our home, and I actually called the Aprilaire people and talked to them at length. They told me they "strongly encouraged" people to connect the hot water line to the humidifier. So maybe the cold water line is the default, as Mark pointed out, but the info I got from Aprilaire is that you *could* and *should* use the hot water line if you have a high efficiency furnace--for the reason you point out: starting with hot water helps the humidifier work more efficiently for the shorter time it is operating. You may want to call Aprilaire yourself and press them on the issue.
2. Aprilaire was our second choice, but we ended up going with a Honeywell TrueSTEAM unit instead, partly because we only had a cold water line to the furnace room and partly because the reviews I read of the TrueSTEAM convinced me it would do a better job of getting the humidity levels up high enough. It converts water directly to steam using a heating element so is okay with cold water. It also converts essentially all the water, so it's not like the Aprilaire and other units where much of the water just goes straight down the drain.
3. A Dampp-Chaser unit would help, although I don't think they "guarantee" your humidity will stay within such a close range, especially if you have a grand.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 177
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 177 |
Hello, cscl, Im also living in Chicagoland and as you know, perhaps we are experiencing the coldest winter in 25 years... I have a humidifier attached to my furnace which can keep the whole house at around 35% these days. In addition to that, I placed a warm humidifier right between my two grand pianos, thus the humidity is between 40~45%.
Every brand may require different humidity, for example, Yamaha requires 50%~60% but it is almost impossible if you live in Chicago area or Toronto. However, I think 40~50%, or even upper 30% should be OK while below 30% is not good for your piano.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,205
1000 Post Club Member
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,205 |
Where did you get the info on Yamaha? I think you've been fed a line by a salesman. Pianos like consistency.
Dale Fox Registered Piano Technician Remanufacturing/Rebuilding
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 261
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 261 |
Cscl,... You can get a decent hygrometer from Wal-Mart for under $10,... I bought a couple and put them in different spots in the piano room,... usually the readings are quite close to each other,... +/-2% You may want to ask your HVAC guy to come and set the humidifier to run whenever there's a call for humidity,... not just whenever there's a call for heat. Then getting hot water to the humidifier should help,... but I don't think you want your tankless water heater to run whenever the humidifier need hot water,... I understand that they consume a high amount of electricity,... You may check with your HVAC guy,... not your plumber,... to confirm,... As Wadslee mentioned,... you may want to look into a small tank type water heater that you can hook up to the humidifier only,... I've seen people use this for floor radiant heating,... Monica,... I'm curious about your TrueSTEAM unit,... What daily min/max range of humidity can you get in the piano room with this unit? Did you notice any increase in your electric bill? Anything with a heating element just like the tankless water heater require a lot of electricity to run,... especially if you need to get the element hot enough to create steam at a very short time,... but of course they will never advertise this fact,... Here are a few tidbits I found in the Installation Guide for the TrueSTEAM,... There may be a slight increase in the homeowner’s energy consumption. Power Supply: 120VAC +10/ -15%, 60Hz
- HM512: 1440W at 120VAC at full load - HM509: 1200W at 120VAC at full load - HM506: 840W at 120VAC at full load Depending on the model that you have the TrueSTEAM takes more than the power needed to run 8-14 100-watt incandescent light bulbs,... or 36-62 100-watt equivalent CFLs! The bypass humidifier only has a low voltage solenoid valve that requires less than the power needed to run 1 100-watt equivalent CFL,... Regards, Robert
Mason & Hamlin - A - 92514 Roland A-90 EX "When you fall down,... pick up something!"
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 177
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 177 |
Dear Dale Fox, please check Yamaha's website then you will find Yamaha requires 50%~60%.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 64
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 64 |
In the owner's manual for my Aprilaire humidifier, it says on p. 3-4:
III. Effect of Water Characteristics
"Your humidifier will operate effectively using hard or mechanically softened water. Any type of water (hard, soft, hot, or cold) is acceptable for use with the drain-type humidifiers. Hot supply water, 140 degrees maximum, is recommended for all heat pump applications. The use of hot supply water will also increase the amount of humidity generated in other applications. The heat in the water increases evaporation and the water going to the drain is cold to the touch. For better performance it is recommended that soft (reduced minerals) or filtered water be supplied to the humidifier media. This can help reduce the amount of scale and mineral deposits that can accumulate on the media."
Estonia L190 - 6789 'Hidden Beauty' Roland HP-203
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 18,356
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
|
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 18,356 |
Originally posted by Robert H: Monica,...
I'm curious about your TrueSTEAM unit,...
What daily min/max range of humidity can you get in the piano room with this unit?
Did you notice any increase in your electric bill? Anything with a heating element just like the tankless water heater require a lot of electricity to run,... especially if you need to get the element hot enough to create steam at a very short time,... but of course they will never advertise this fact,... Here are a few tidbits I found in the Installation Guide for the TrueSTEAM,...
There may be a slight increase in the homeowner’s energy consumption. Power Supply: 120VAC +10/ -15%, 60Hz
- HM512: 1440W at 120VAC at full load - HM509: 1200W at 120VAC at full load - HM506: 840W at 120VAC at full load Depending on the model that you have the TrueSTEAM takes [b]more than the power needed to run 8-14 100-watt incandescent light bulbs,... or 36-62 100-watt equivalent CFLs! The bypass humidifier only has a low voltage solenoid valve that requires less than the power needed to run 1 100-watt equivalent CFL,... Regards, Robert [/b] Hi Robert, you're asking the very same questions I asked all the humidity people. I can't tell you anything about my own experience because the addition is still under construction. The humidifier has been installed but not turned on yet. The operating cost and electricity usage was very much on my mind. I even went so far as to call Honeywell to ask them the typical operating costs. The whole conversation is on my home renovation blog (look for the post titled "Moisture on my brain"), but the short story is that they said they couldn't give a good estimate because usage and electricity costs vary so much across regions. I'm not sure I believe that excuse, though... :rolleyes: The owner of the HVAC company who installed my unit said he put three of them in his own home and it resulted in only a "barely noticeable" increase in his electricity bill. Not quite an unbiased source, however. He raved about the unit, though. Then I heard from an architect who commented on my blog and said that if the humidifier is on half the year and runs 1/4 of that time, it would cost about $97 per year to operate. I guess I figured that was worth it for the comfort/health factor, and the piano preservation factor, too.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 18,356
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
|
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 18,356 |
Actually, this thread got me curious. Back when I researching humidifiers I started a thread in the Do It Yourself Forum asking about the TrueSTEAM operating costs. It's now up to 10 replies, with some useful info: My TrueSTEAM thread on do it yourself forum I have found that forum, btw, to be very informative about a whole range of topics. They have an entire section devoted to humidifiers, cscl, so you might want to browse through the Aprilaire threads, too.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 261
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 261 |
Cscl,... Sorry for the hijack,... I hope these humidifier info are useful for you somewhat Monica,... I did a quick Googling and found all the info you need on TrueSTEAM operating cost that the Honeywell support guy can't give you here: http://www.forwardthinking.honeywell.com/related_links/humidification/truesteam/train/50_1276.pdf I know it's too late since you already made your decision but at least it should satisfy your curiosity Look at Chart 4 on Page 6 if you just want a quick reference. This document also includes a more detailed cost comparison between bypass and TrueSTEAM,... but I find the numbers suspicious because they didn't give a clear explanation on how they come up with the numbers. It is a document from Honeywell so I expect it to be biased. If you really want to do a detailed comparison,... here's what you can do,... TrueSTEAM claims that it uses 70% less water than bypass,... although I can't find any research data to back this up,... let's assume that this is true for our comparison. Let's assume that the humidifier runs 180 days/year and 6 hours/day. With bypass humidifier: Water run rate is 3 gal/hour so if it runs 6 hours/day it uses 18 gal/day. Assuming that 70% of the water is wasted then 0.9 gal/hour or 5.4 gal/day of humidity is created and 12.6 gal/day of water is wasted. 2268 gal/year of water is wasted. You can check your water bill for the cost/gal and calculate the cost of the 2268 gal/year of water that's wasted. To achieve the same 5.4 gallon/day of humidity with the TrueSTEAM,... With the large 12gal/day capacity unit: It can produce 0.5 gal/hour of humidity. So it has to run 10.8 hours/day to get 5.4 gal/day of humidity. It has to run 1944 hours/year (180 days) at 1440 Watt,... so it requires 2799 KWh/year. You can check your electric bill for the cost/KWh and calculate the cost of 2799 KWh/year of electricity. With the small 6gal/day capacity unit: It can produce 0.25 gal/hour of humidity. So it has to run 21.6 hours/day to get 5.4 gal/day of humidity. It has to run 3888 hours/year (180 days) at 840 Watt,... so it requires 2799 KWh/year. You can check your electric bill for the cost/KWh and calculate the cost of 3266 KWh/year of electricity. You can compare the cost of wasted water using the bypass vs the cost of extra electricity using the TrueSTEAM,... I think the electricity is quite a bit more expensive,... Keep in mind that this is assuming TrueSTEAM is 70% more efficient as they claimed which may or may not be true. Even considering this efficiency,... note that the bypass can produce 0.9 gal/hour of humidity vs the largest TrueSTEAM can only produce 0.5 gal/hour of humidity. So,... when needed the bypass can deliver more humidity quicker. I've checked my math but let me know if you find an error I hope this helps,... Regards, Robert
Mason & Hamlin - A - 92514 Roland A-90 EX "When you fall down,... pick up something!"
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,559
7000 Post Club Member
|
7000 Post Club Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,559 |
Originally posted by windsound: Dear Dale Fox, please check Yamaha's website then you will find Yamaha requires 50%~60%. This is cut and pasted directly from Yamaha's website: Optimize your piano's environment: Proper conditions mean better sound: Pianos work best and sound best when the temperature and humidity are right. Proper ventilation is also important. Generally speaking, a relative humidity of between 40 and 45 percent is ideal for pianos. ...I shudder to think what my place would look like if I could even get the RH up to 50-60% with the winter we've been having in the upper midwest. The windows would be solid blocks of ice!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 177
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 177 |
This is also cut and pasted directly from Yamaha's website:
Caring For Your Yamaha Piano
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The piano is among the most versatile of musical instruments, but it is also one of the most complex and delicate. Yamaha pianos are extraordinarily rugged-built by a combination of traditional craftsmanship and advanced acoustic technology. But even the finest instrument needs proper care to give long life and dependable service. Please read this booklet carefully and follow its instructions, and you will be rewarded with years of pleasurable satisfaction.
PROVIDE ENOUGH VENTILATION Pianos need ventilation, but the wrong kind of ventilation can damage them. The best location for your piano is in the center of the room or against a wall which divides two rooms. If possible, avoid placing it next to an exterior wall where outside weather conditions might cause tone quality and volume to suffer. If there is no other choice, however, at least make sure that the piano has adequate ventilation on all sides.
AVOID WINDOWS Try not to place the piano near a window. Its cabinet is made of wood and must be protected against direct sunlight, humidity and sudden changes in temperature. Windows which open on the out-of-doors offer the least protection. If you must place the piano near a window use a heavy curtain over the window for protection.
AVOID HEAT Keep the piano away from sources of heat such as radiators or hot air registers. They may damage the finish and internal parts causing tone and balance to deteriorate. Make sure that no radiant heat or hot air draft strikes the piano directly.
PROPER CONDITIONS MEAN BETTER SOUND Pianos work best and sound best when the temperature and humidity are right. Proper ventilation is also important. Generally speaking, a relative humidity of between 50 and 60 percent is ideal for pianos. The use of materials such as wood, felt and cloth in piano construction means that many parts are quite delicate. If not properly cared for, they can be damaged easily. Therefore we are unable to assume responsibility for damage resulting from abuse or harsh treatment.
HOW HUMIDITY AFFECTS A PIANO Felt, cloth, leather and the precision wood parts-some of them machined to tolerances as fine as 1/100mm-used in such critical parts of the piano as the action, are extremely sensitive to humidity. Too much humidity will result in dull hammer action and unclear tones, rusting of internal parts and sticking keys. Before this happens the piano should be repaired.
HOW TO PROTECT AGAINST EXCESSIVE MOISTURE Your dealer can advise you how best to compensate for climatic conditions in your area. However, here are a few general tips for proper care. On cloudy or rainy days close all windows in the piano room. Also, be sure to close the top board each time after playing. Be especially careful about excessive moisture if you live in one of the following places: Along a seacoast or in a rainy or humid region. In a valley, in a house facing hills, or in an area with poor drainage. In a concrete building not more than one or two years old. In an area where air exhausts are directed into a room or in a dark room facing north.
BEWARE OF EXCESSIVE DRYNESS Too much humidity is a problem, but excessive dryness is an even more serious one, especially where heating or cooling systems are used to create artificially dehumidified rooms. Used in naturally dry climates, the piano has enough natural moisture to prevent excessive drying. However, if the air becomes too dry the wooden and felt components will shrink. In extreme cases, the soundboard, joints and other laminated sections may even come apart, even though they have been glued together carefully. Slight distortion of the parts may cause noise, and the tuning pins may work loose, making it difficult to keep the piano in tune. To avoid excessive dryness it is best to keep some kind of leafy plant or a humidifier in the piano room.
AVOID SUDDEN TEMPERATURE CHANGES When a cold room is warmed suddenly, moisture will condense on the piano strings and other metal parts, causing them to rust. Felt parts will absorb moisture, dulling their action and resulting in unclear sound. Be especially careful about sudden temperature changes when moving your piano into a room in a cold northern climate or into an airtight room in a concrete building.
PUT YOUR PIANO WHERE IT SOUNDS BEST The piano should be placed in a room where the sound will be evenly distributed. A room where all the sound gathers in one spot will produce sound lag and echoes. The best room for your piano is one in which its sound will reverberate to produce pleasant, full-bodied tones without harsh echoes.
DO NOT PLACE OBJECTS ON TOP OF THE PIANO A heavy object may cause poor tone or noisy vibrations if placed on the piano. A vase of flowers may look attractive on the piano but if it should spill and water enter the piano serious damage can result. Water will rust the metal parts of the piano and damage the hammer and action. Avoid costly accidents and never place anything except sheet music or a metronome on the piano.
AVOID PLACING OR SPILLING ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ON THE PIANO
Plastic products Vinyl products Anything containing alcohol Liquids such as cosmetics, insecticides, any kind of aerosol, Paint thinner or petroleum based products
DO NOT ALLOW THE PIANO TO BECOME DUSTY Dust can dull the hammer action and cause noise. Dust the piano frequently with a soft cloth or feather duster and wipe the finish with a soft cloth.
KEEP THE KEYBOARD CLEAN The keyboard should be wiped periodically with a soft, dry cloth. Never use cleaners containing alcohol as the keys will become cracked. If the keyboard is very dirty, wipe it with a cloth dipped in a solution of soap and water and wrung out well. The same cloth should not be used for cleaning the surface of the piano, however. A good habit to cultivate is never to play the piano with dirty hands. That way the keyboard will stay clean for a long time.
TUNING AND ADJUSTMENT Pianos are delicate instruments which need professional attention periodically. Basically there are two types of professional piano care: tuning and adjustment. Tuning means correcting the pitch of every note by retightening the strings. Each piano string is normally stretched to a pressure of about 90 kilograms (198~pounds), but eventually it will stretch further with use and lose some of its tension, causing the piano to lose its correct pitch. The strings need to be tuned a minimum of twice a year to restore them to their proper tension. Adjustment involves the entire piano action, keyboard and pedal movements. Proper adjustment is especially important for grand pianos. Whether the piano will perform properly or not depends on how accurately the adjustment is made. Tuning and adjustment should be done by an expert. When your piano requires either one, ask your Yamaha dealer or call a specialist. Your dealer can also advise you about the interval between adjustments for your piano under the circumstances in which it is used.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,502
1000 Post Club Member
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,502 |
Interesting to see the different recommendations on Yamahas site..
The most important thing though, is a general level of consistency. If you're able to keep the room in the mid 50's in the summer, and in the low 40's in the winter, you'll be doing your piano a huge favor.
This isn't always practical..and that's where the Dampp-Chaser systems can be invaluable. Controlling both room and piano humidity, is of course, ideal.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 259
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 259 |
Originally posted by Monica K.: Hey cscl, I just got through reading more about humidifiers than I ever wanted to, as I was purchasing one for the addition we're doing on the home. Indeed! Thanks for sparing me that exciting task. Here's a few random reactions sparked by your comments:
1.) If your furnace is a high efficiency gas furnace, it may not be running enough for your humidifier to be working effectively. That was the situation in our home, and I actually called the Aprilaire people and talked to them at length. They told me they "strongly encouraged" people to connect the hot water line to the humidifier. So maybe the cold water line is the default, as Mark pointed out, but the info I got from Aprilaire is that you *could* and *should* use the hot water line if you have a high efficiency furnace--for the reason you point out: starting with hot water helps the humidifier work more efficiently for the shorter time it is operating. You may want to call Aprilaire yourself and press them on the issue. Well, amazingly enough, I called the plumbers this morning and without giving me any guff at all, they set up a time and even came out this afternoon and hooked up the hot water line. So, now, it's a matter of how often the furnace runs. It is fairly efficient, darn it all, so we'll have to see how it works. Maybe running the cold water made the heater run longer and gave the humidifier more time to work. Right, now we're about 70 degrees in the house and 26% humidity. We keep the thermostat in the 69-74 range and that keeps the house at a low of around 68 and highs in the low 70s (we get a lot of sunshine heat during the day, another factor that keeps the furnace from running. I'll keep an eye on things and post back to see what effect the hot water has. This is the first time I'll be able to really see what the furnace and humidifier are capable of. It turns out that the first two winters we were in the house (no piano then), the humidifier had a loose wire and wasn't working at all, but we didn't realize it. The third winter (with piano) we realized there was a loose wire when we had the furnace serviced, but the humidifier still wasn't working properly although we were none the wiser. It would fill the tray with water once at the beginning of each heat cycle and we thought that's how it was supposed to work. I had it looked at again this season and explained what it was doing to find out that it really should be running water constantly during the heating cycle if we have it turned up high enough (which we did). So, let's see what happens! 2. Aprilaire was our second choice, but we ended up going with a Honeywell TrueSTEAM unit instead, partly because we only had a cold water line to the furnace room and partly because the reviews I read of the TrueSTEAM convinced me it would do a better job of getting the humidity levels up high enough. It converts water directly to steam using a heating element so is okay with cold water. It also converts essentially all the water, so it's not like the Aprilaire and other units where much of the water just goes straight down the drain.
That does sound like an interesting system, but I've got enough money sunk into this one for now that I don't even want to think about a new one right now.
3. A Dampp-Chaser unit would help, although I don't think they "guarantee" your humidity will stay within such a close range, especially if you have a grand. I've only read a bit about the Dampp-Chaser, but I would be hesitant to alter my piano in any way at this point. And it does keep tuning really well so far.[QUOTE][QB]
cscl Estonia 190 Satin Ebony ABF Recitals: x9 — Studio Recitals: x17 *
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 259
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 259 |
Originally posted by windsound: Hello, cscl, Im also living in Chicagoland and as you know, perhaps we are experiencing the coldest winter in 25 years...
It's been awful lately! I hail from southern climes so these Chicago winters still get to me! I have a humidifier attached to my furnace which can keep the whole house at around 35% these days. In addition to that, I placed a warm humidifier right between my two grand pianos, thus the humidity is between 40~45%.
Now with the hot water line in, I'll see if I can get it back into the 30s.
cscl Estonia 190 Satin Ebony ABF Recitals: x9 — Studio Recitals: x17 *
|
|
|
|
|
|
Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
|
Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
|
|
Forums43
Topics223,405
Posts3,349,434
Members111,637
|
Most Online15,252 Mar 21st, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
|