 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: contragirl
Date: 2000-09-17 14:27
Ok, I am incollege, and I brought my plastic clarinet for marching band, and my Buffet. The AC in my room puts out a lot of moisture and I noticed a few disturbing things yesterday when I took out my clarinet. I hadn't played it in a while, so it had been in it's case away from the AC. When I looked at the clarinet, the keys were foggy (not from the condensation)and you could see the finger prints and it buffed out pretty well, the parts I could get to. My ligature, the Bay medium (the pretty one) was corroded. It's silver, but it has small brown dots all over it that don't come off easily or at all. I was afraid of not having enough moisture before I came, now I think there is too much. What is wrong with my baby?
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-09-17 16:08
Contragirl - the AC will reduce the moisture in the air, not increase it, so that can't be the cause (all ACs work as dehumidifiers, too - that's why they're called "Conditioners" rather than "coolers"). Perhaps the overall humidity level in the area you're in is very high already, and the relative humidity is still high? Or possibly your room AC is set to blow high? It's better to have an AC unit run longer and slowly stbilize the humidity & air temperature than quickly cooling - the air is in contact with the cooling coils longer and releases more of its moisture - along with keeping _you_ more comfortable.
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Author: J. Butler
Date: 2000-09-17 17:09
The AC can pick up moisture and distribute it throughout the room if the drain pan is filling up with water. The water from condensation that normally drains off is picked up by the fan and blown into the room. This happens all to frequently in areas that have a high level of humidity anyway. It is especially a problem with the window units if the pan becomes clogged or has a bad tilt to it. Have your dorm director call the AC people at the college and have them check your unit. Here in Houston where we have humidity levels in the 90% level almost all the time. A good place to live if you are in the AC business! I have to get clean out my coils about twice a year to keep the mold and other junk from collecting on them and clogging up the drain. I have to flush the drain pan after cleaning the coils to prevent it from clogging up.
J. Butler
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-09-17 19:43
I agree with John here as this is a common problem in S.E. Texas with its high humidity. Even bigger headache for some of the newer homes where the AC unit is in the attic. The drains get clogged, spill into the attic then through the roof into the room below resulting in some extensive (expencive) dammage. Even window units will do this and ruin the woodwork and sheetrock below the window (my daughters room last month). Cleaning and inspecting the AC is a spring ritual just as the same for the furnace in the fall.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2000-09-18 01:08
Put your case somewhere near ceiling. It is the driest place in room.
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Author: Fred McKenzie
Date: 2000-09-18 14:38
contragirl wrote:
-------------------------------
The AC in my room puts out a lot of moisture and I noticed a few disturbing things yesterday when I took out my clarinet.
C.G.-
Have your heard of "Legionaire's Disease"? It is apparently caused by a build-up of germs in air conditioning systems that do not drain properly. Not only can the moisture affect your clarinet, it can affect your health!
Fred
<A HREF="http://www.dreamnetstudios.com/music/mmb/index.htm">MMB</A>
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2000-09-18 14:40
If your ligature is silver-plated, check to see if there is anything in the case that might cause corrosion. This might include anything made of rubber, such as rubber bands, which contain sulfer.
I don't know where you are, but since someone mentioned Houston, places like Houston that have a lot of refineries and chemical plants probably have a fair amount of sulfer in the air. Sulfer + silver = tarnish.
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Author: Donn
Date: 2000-09-20 01:14
Air conditioners and dehumidifiers should have a drain tube leading outside or into a drain. Yours may be stopped up, which happens often.
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