Humidity Control

By far, the biggest factor affecting how long your piano will stay in tune is humidity; more precisely, fluctuations in humidity.

The explanation of why humidity affects tuning stability is really quite simple. The soundboard, which is the heart of the piano, is a large piece of thin wood that sits underneath the strings. It essentially acts like a loudspeaker by vibrating and amplifying the sound of the strings after the hammers strike them. If humidity increases, the soundboard will absorb moisture and swell. As it swells it exerts upward pressure on the strings and the pitch goes up making the piano sharp. 

The opposite occurs when humidity levels drop (typically in winter). The soundboard loses moisture and the tension on the strings is reduced making the piano go flat.

There are a few ways to control humidity, but it's usually difficult to do in a home setting and almost impossible to do in institutions such as a church or school.

Fortunately, there is a very reliable way to control humidity levels in pianos...both grands and uprights. It is the Piano Life Saver System. The use of this system will significantly reduce humidity fluctuations in pianos and will, therefore, greatly increase tuning stability.

For more information click here: https://www.pianolifesaver.com

As a certified Piano Life Saver System installer, I would be happy to answer any questions you might have.