Humidity Control for Musical Instruments

Steinway & Sons has been renowned for producing the finest pianos since 1853. The impressive showroom in London Marylebone was recently refurbished. Condair's steam humidifiers are playing a vital role in maintaining the exceptional craftsmanship involved in the production of Steinway's famous pianos.

The Royal Albert Hall is probably the best-known concert building in Great Britain. Aronud two million guests a year enjoy acoustic cultural delights ranging from rock to classical music. Condair steam humidifiers ensure a perfect humidity in the organ chamber so that wooden parts maintain their integrity and shape, and move over each other perfectly, as they were designed to do.

Condair has supplied a Condair CP3 steam humidifier to humidify the school hall organ at Christ's Hospital School near Horsham, ensuring it resonates correctly and remains in tune whatever the weather. Large pipe organs need to have the humidity maintained within their organ chambers in order to preserve the wooden sound boards and sliders. If the air in the organ chamber becomes dry then it will draw moisture from the surrounding wood causing it to suffer dimensional changes. This can cause the sliders to warp and stick, resulting in an unresponsive instrument. By maintaining 55% relative humidity (%RH), the wood is in equilibrium with the air and it retains its moisture content and shape.

The Allianz Arena was one of the most controversial construction projects, even prompting a public vote by Munich citizens. It has since become a central landmark in northern Munich and an architectural symbol of the city. Particularly striking is the translucent, diamond-shaped outer shell, which can glow in different colors.

Using projectors and asymmetrical parabolic mirrors developed specifically for the Allianz Arena, the diamonds can be illuminated in different colors depending on the club's colors. The stadium is around 50 meters high, 200 meters long, and can accommodate 66,000 spectators. Condair RS steam humidifiers ensure optimum humidity levels.

In the call centre of Thomann GmbH, additional air humidification improves the indoor climate for the employees. Fewer voice disorders, less eye strain and higher satisfaction with the air quality are the experiences after two years of practical use.

The Philharmonie Berlin uses the Condair DL hybrid humidifier to ensure precise, hygienic humidity control that supports acoustics, comfort and reliable hall performance.

The Philharmonie Luxembourg uses the Condair DL hybrid humidifier to ensure precise, hygienic humidity control across its concert halls for optimal acoustics and comfort.

The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney, Australia, identified as one of the 20th century's most distinctive buildings. Though its name suggests a single venue, the building comprises multiple performance venues which together are among the busiest of performing arts centres &ndash hosting well over 1,500 performances annually, attended by more than 1.2 million people.Condair evaporative and steam humidifiers are helping to maintain the ideal indoor environment, to preserve the integrity of the wooden interiors, the musical instruments, the vocal performance of the artists and the health of the public.

The Erl Festival Theatre achieves a pleasant indoor humidity level through precise steam humidification. Its diamond-like architecture blends harmoniously into the surrounding Tyrolean mountain landscape.

Musiktheater Linz uses the Condair DL hybrid humidifier to ensure precise and hygienic humidity control, which promotes acoustics, comfort, and material protection.

The Glasshouse International Centre for Music is a concert and event center in Gateshead, England, and home to the Royal Northern Sinfonia ensemble and the Academy of Music and Sound. It has three performance halls that seat 1,700, 400 and 200 people respectively.

Condair gas-fired steam humidifiers ensure the optimum atmosphere to preserve the wooden interior and musical instruments, as well as creating a healthy and comfortable room air humidity in the halls.

Located in the heart of the Sydney CBD, City Recital Hall produces, presents and hosts a rich and diverse program of concerts and events, embracing all genres and art forms from chamber orchestras to opera, contemporary ensembles to bands, talks and debates, to festival events. The venue was opened in 1999 and is the first specially designed concert venue to be built in the city since the Opera House in 1973. Condair supplied a Condair ME evaporative humidification system is providing the mainstage auditorium low energy, hygienic humidity control and also two Condair EL electrode steam humidifiers are used to provide humidity for performance stage and instruments.

Mould and mildew no longer a problem Roskilde Cathedral chose Condair to supply a system to keep mould and mildew out. The problems with mould and mildew were occurring in the cold, unheated chapels and crypts. It would be almost impossible to install heating sources in the building to reduce the humidity level in the problematic areas. Three dehumidifiers were therefore installed as a trial. These gradually removed the excess humidity and then stabilised the level below 65%, which has been enough to keep mould and mildew away from the velvet covered coffins. The trial has been running for four years, and will continue for ongoing data collection. Roskilde Cathedral also has a data logging system installed in the building, which monitors that the air humidity is maintained under the critical limit all year round.Condair is very aware that churches are a sensitive building environment. It is important that excess humidity is always removed gradually under professional control and monitoring. Advantages &bull Correct dehumidification to avoid damage&bull Air humidity control to prevent mould and mildew&bull Reduced heating requirements System specifications &bull Dehumidifiers: Dehutech 320 (3)&bull Control: JA1000 with display&bull Data logging&bull Installed: 2010 "Our problems with mould and mildew in the coffin velvet in our chapels and crypts were solved." Ole HøjlundBuilding Manager, Roskilde Cathedral

The Swedish Theatre (Swedish: Svenska Teatern) is a Swedish-language theatre in the center of Helsinki. It was the first national stage of Finland. It started as Engels Teater in 1827 and got its current facade in 1935 when it was renovated in by architects Eero Saarinen and Jarl Eklund, representing functionalism. In 2012, a renovation lasting a year and a half, worth 50 million euros, was carried out, in which the building was restored to its foundations. The work was done hand in hand with the Finnish Heritage Agency. Condair supplied EL electrode boiler steam humidifier for the ventilation of the theater. Humidification ensures a good working environment for the actors and maintains the integrity of wooden instruments, furnishings and the interior. Photos: Svenska Teatern