[SML] Now homeless due to fire.

[Mt. Angel Performing Arts Center]

On 3/27/2016 1:25 AM, Bill Nelson via Stagecraft wrote:
>> Truly saddened to hear of your personal disaster and relieved that no one was
>> injured. Smoke damage is really difficult to remedy, particularly the smell. I
>> had a Victorian cherry piano that went through a fire after I bought it. I
>> didn't realize how strong the odor was as I picked it up from the burnt out
>> church that was its home and now where everything smelled and transported it
>> 600 miles in an open trailer. It wasn't until I got into our house that the
>> reek became apparent. Even after years of on again/off again restoration by a
>> pro piano restorer type guy and repeated cleanings with a variety of furniture
>> restoration products (I was a professional antique furniture restorer at the
>> time so I knew a bunch of things to try) it still had a distinct odor.
>
> I don't think a thorough job can be done on an immediate basis. The smoke is
> probably in the unfinished wood inside the piano - and that should probably
> not be sealed.
>
> Even a partial job would probably involve completely disassembling the piano,
> cleaning the harp with an organic solvent and replacing all the other internal
> components.
>
> The odor does fade over time, but it can take decades for the smelly compounds
> to completely degrade/evaporate.
>
> Bill
>

I don't know if it was snake oil or a genuine treatment but after one of 
our facilities went through a fire and extensive smoke damage the final 
deodorizing step was using ozone generators to treat the space.

Nowadays unless someone knows of the fire (in 2012) there's no hint of 
smoke odor to trigger questions.

That might be something to try to treat your piano . . . .

Carla

And I also am so sorry to hear of your loss - been there, done that and 
it just plain sucks.