Pianos have wooden frames which can be prone to moisture. Wood, being porous, absorbs water from the air when humidity levels are too high. Conversely, the wood dries up when humidity levels are too low. These conditions can both be damaging to the wood in pianos, causing it to expand and warp, or crack and split.
Extreme humidity can affect the instrument’s wooden soundboard and the strings, which can impact the sound quality. Over time, excess moisture can also damage the construction and require the replacement of the instrument itself. To avoid this, humidity levels must be kept within the optimal range of 40% to 45% RH. One effective solution is by using a dehumidifier in high humidity areas.
When looking for a dehumidifier for a grand piano, you have an option to use an electric rod that you can install within the instrument to provide heat to the damp wood. Alternatively, you can opt for a portable dehumidifier to extract moisture from the whole room where the piano is located.
To decide which type is best for you, it’s also important to consider factors such as the size of the space, the temperature, and relative humidity levels. In addition to that, you might consider whether or not adding an object in the body of the piano will affect its sound. To make the decision even easier, we’ve picked six great products – three for each use case. You can find our reviews for each product below as well as a guide to the features you need to look for.
Comparison Table for Best Dehumidifier for Piano
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Editor's Choice  |
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Runner-up  |
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Best Piano Dehumidifier Reviews
Dampp-Chaser
Electric rod dehumidifiers are commonly used to heat up and reduce moisture in storage cabinets, closets, or gun safes. Instead of using fans like a regular dehumidifier does, it circulates warm air by raising the temperature in its surrounding area through the heated electric rod. This prevents condensation and protects the piano’s wooden frame from moisture and musty smells.
It works by heating up the rod, which then heats the air within the enclosed space, thus preventing the accumulation of moisture. Although, you can rest assured it won’t be hot enough to burn your skin, wood, or any household material within its reach. You have multiple options for installation using the included tools and hardware. You can set it on the ground inside a cabinet or storage locker, screw it to the baseboard, or use the mounting brackets included. It’s completely maintenance-free, but note that it has to be plugged in always to work.
The Dampp-Chaser system is a piano life-saver available in four sizes ideal for different needs: 18, 24, 36, and 48-inch. Each dehumidifier rod draws 10W, 15W, 25W, and 35W, respectively. This product has been made in the USA since 1947. While it’s easy to install and maintain, its heating power may not be the best, as a few users have noted. So, for more serious humidity issues, you’ll need a different option.
Pros
• Quick installment
• Maintenance-free
• Comes in three sizes
Cons
• Low heating power
PEET Dehumidifier Rod
This dehumidifier dryer comes from a well-known manufacturer of drying appliances, specifically for shoes and outdoor gear. Similar to other electric rod dehumidifiers, this PEET Dryer rod prevents excess moisture in an enclosed space by releasing heat to warm the air around it. To monitor the humidity level inside, you can set up a separate remote humidistat or hygrometer.
PEET is only available in two sizes: 18-inch and 24-inch rods, for 120 cubic feet to 200 cubic feet spaces. It can fit inside a safe, closet, or within the piano to prevent dampness and its potentially damaging effects on wood and other materials.
It comes with mounting brackets for ease of installation. You can set it on the floor, mount it on the side or on top. The product is designed to last for years, guaranteed with a 5-year warranty. It meets all ETL (Electrical Testing Labs) standards to ensure your safety.
Pros
• Quick installment
• Maintenance-free
• 5-year warranty
Cons
• Only comes in two sizes
Lockdown GoldenRod Dehumidifier
For high heating power, a top choice for electric dehumidifier rods is the Lockdown GoldenRod. It is commonly used in gun safes and cabinets, effectively raising the air temperature up to 150°F or 65°C and reducing humidity levels down to 40% to 50% RH.
The GoldenRod dehumidifier comes in four different sizes: 12, 18, 24, and 36 inches. The 12-inch rod can cover up to 100 cubic feet, while the 36-inch has a coverage area of up to 500 cubic feet. For more severe humidity issues, choose the longest rod that can fit in the area for your piano.
It comes with a quick plug attachment and it can be installed without difficulty provided a nearby power supply. Mounting brackets are also provided but it is recommended to position the rod horizontally on its feet. One problem with electric rods, in general, is they can get too hot to touch, especially the high-powered GoldenRod. However, it won’t be too hot that it could burn. Lastly, the GoldenRod comes with a lifetime warranty to guarantee its reliability.
Pros
• Quick installment
• Superior heating capability
• Maintenance-free
• Comes in four sizes
• Lifetime warranty
Cons
• Can get too hot to touch
Frigidaire FFAD3533W1
If you use the piano in a large room that’s prone to dampness, then you may want to opt for a portable dehumidifier that can handle the whole space. This is also ideal for rooms with many items made of wood or other materials that can be damaged by excess moisture. For residential portable dehumidifiers, a top choice among homeowners and experts is Frigidaire. The brand is known for the powerful performance and excellent build quality of its products. Furthermore, all Frigidaire dehumidifiers have an Energy Star rating to ensure greater savings on your bills.
This 35-pint unit offers custom humidity control where you can select a target humidity level from 35% to 85% and a 24-hour timer to delay start or stop operation. For maximum moisture removal, you can choose from three fan speeds: Low, Med, and High.
This Frigidaire dehumidifier has a 16-pint (2 gallons) bucket larger than any 30-pint model. The unit features the standard auto shut-off to automatically stop operation when the bucket is almost full, as well as a bucket full alert to notify you when this happens. You can easily drain the water manually using the front-loading bucket with a handle and splash guard. To avoid this, you can use continuous drainage by attaching a standard garden hose to the drain outlet into a low-level drain or sink.
Whether you want to use it in the piano room or anywhere else, Frigidaire’s SpaceWise design adds portability with rolling casters and a top handle. The unit also comes with a removable washable mesh filter and an indicator light that will remind you to check the filter. Frigidaire dehumidifiers work efficiently even in temperatures as low as 41°F without an auto defrost mode that turns off the unit to melt ice.
One potential downside is that Frigidaire comes with a standard one-year warranty. Considering its quality and features, Frigidaire is also at the high end in terms of cost. Overall, if you want high quality and performance for your dehumidifier, Frigidaire is a common option.
Pros
• Energy Star certified
• Custom humidity control
• Quick and efficient moisture removal
• SpaceWise portable design
• Works well in low temperatures
• High tank capacity
• Continuous drainage option
Cons
• Higher price
• 1-year warranty
Waykar PD160B
Waykar offers a range of portable dehumidifiers for many different needs. The PD160B unit removes a maximum of 34 pints of moisture per day in rooms up to 2,000 square feet. Some stores may call this unit either a 30-pint or 40-pint dehumidifier. It is most useful in a small basement, laundry room, bathroom, and living or any small to medium spaces with severe humidity.
You can set your target humidity level between 30% and 80% and the unit will automatically cycle on and off to maintain it. If you set the humidity to 30%, the unit will operate continuously. The timer allows you to start or stop operation automatically after one to 24 hours. The digital display will show the current humidity, selected fan speed, remaining time, and the indicator lights. The air outlet on top can be adjusted to direct the airflow where it’s needed.
One downside is Waykar has a small 0.66 gallon/2.5 L water tank. For continuous drainage via gravity, attach the included 6.56 ft drain hose to the outlet. In low temperatures, the unit goes in auto defrost mode to prevent frost buildup. Additionally, this unit comes with a removable and washable filter to improve air quality. It has an extendable top handle and four wheels for easy movement. Waykar also provides effective dehumidification with low noise levels. However, the biggest disadvantage is that Waykar is not certified by Energy Star.
Pros
• Light and portable
• Quiet operation
• Continuous drainage with hose included
Cons
• Small tank
• Low energy efficiency
Vremi VRM010184N
This 22-pint by Vremi is the smallest unit in its Moisture Maniac flagship dehumidifier line. It is ideal for small spaces up to 1,500 square feet. The Vremi dehumidifier is similar in terms of functionality to its hOmeLabs counterpart except for the former’s slightly bigger tank capacity. Like Frigidaire, Vremi also has an Energy Star certification.
Vremi features the usual control buttons and functions on its panel, including a digital humidistat for custom humidity control. You can also select Turbo speed for quicker moisture removal, Comfort mode to automatically adjust the setting depending on the ambient temperature, and Continuous mode for nonstop operation. Standard features like auto shut-off, auto restart, and auto defrost are also included. Vremi features a 1-gallon or 8-pint tank as well as an optional continuous drainage (hose not included).
This unit is also designed with a lightweight body, a side exhaust, four caster wheels, and a handle on each side for easy movement. Overall, Vremi is not too different from other top-rated portable dehumidifiers. It delivers great performance and energy efficiency at a good value. It’s also available in 35-pint and 50-pint sizes.
Pros
• Energy Star certified
• Powerful moisture removal
• Easy-to-use controls
• Continuous drain option
Cons
• Not the best build quality
Why You Need a Dehumidifier for Piano
The best quality piano is typically made of wood such as spruce for the soundboard and hardwoods like maple, mahogany, and beech for the body and frame. Wood, as we all know, has a porous surface that readily absorbs and releases moisture into the air depending on the relative humidity. It can swell or expand when exposed to excess moisture during humid summer days or dry out and shrink when exposed to dry air during winter. Thus, a piano is best kept in an environment with humidity levels within 40% to 45% RH.
A piano’s soundboard is a thin wooden sheet that is curved upward into an arch called a crown. When you press a key, the soundboard amplifies the sound produced by the vibrations of the strings. And so, when humidity levels change, it can cause the soundboard to swell or shrink depending on the moisture content. This change in tension on the strings can cause the piano to become out of tune.
If humidity is high, the soundboard swells and tightens the strings, which can make the pitch to raise. On the other hand, if there is low humidity in the room, the soundboard shrinks and loosens the strings, causing the pitch to fall flat. More severe conditions can have more damaging effects, and the longer the problem remains unsolved, the more likely you’ll need to replace the soundboard or the piano itself.
Extreme changes in relative humidity typically occur during summer when humidity is at the highest and winter when it is at the lowest. To prevent humidity-related problems in the piano, it’s critical to get humidity under control throughout the seasons. There are many ways to go about humidity control for pianos. In most cases, you’ll need a humidity control system consisting of a dehumidifier, a heater, and a piano humidifier.
In the summer, dehumidifiers are commonly used to keep humidity down to comfortable levels. Portable units are most useful in residential areas, specifically in rooms with severe dampness issues like basements. For pianos, you can use a dehumidifier rod which acts like a heater that warms the air around it to prevent moisture accumulation. Alternatively, you can also use a standalone dehumidifier to cover the entire room instead of targeting only the piano itself. In any case, a dehumidifier is necessary in a very humid climate to keep the sound quality of the piano.
How To Select The Best Dehumidifiers For A Piano Room
Finding the best dehumidifier for any kind of room requires careful consideration of the following factors that affect the unit’s performance.
Dehumidifier Type
Firstly, there are two main types of dehumidifiers based on the method of moisture removal they use: the refrigerant and desiccant dehumidifiers. These two types come in a variety of sizes suitable for different purposes and rooms in residential spaces. Refrigerant dehumidifiers are typically built to provide the highest moisture removal rate in larger spaces. They extract water from the air and collect it, with standard sizes ranging from 20 to 50 pints per day. For tiny spaces where you need constant moisture control, a small desiccant unit may be enough. You can read more about the different types of dehumidifiers and their differences in this article.
Furthermore, for small enclosed spaces such as cabinets and gun safes, electric dehumidifier rods are also commonly used. This type of dehumidifier does not actually reduce humidity or pull moisture from the air. Instead, the electric rod heats up and circulates warm air within the surrounding area, preventing condensation from building up in the enclosed space.
Moisture Removal Capacity
The dehumidifier size or capacity refers to the maximum amount of moisture that the unit can remove from the air within 24 hours, usually measured in pints per day or PPD. Standard residential dehumidifiers are rated under conditions of 65°F and 60% relative humidity. The actual amount of moisture removed per day depends on the room size and relative humidity. Each pint capacity is recommended for a range of coverage areas. A larger space requires a larger capacity. Likewise, more severe dampness requires a more powerful dehumidifier. In the case of electric rods, the manufacturer usually indicates the area of coverage instead.
Coverage Area
The dehumidifier’s capacity and power directly impact the total area it can effectively dehumidify.
You can expect a dehumidifier to achieve your target humidity level much faster in a smaller space than a larger one. Measure the dimensions of the space to get the square feet or cubic feet area. Standard 20- to 35-pint units are recommended for spaces between 500 to 2,000 square feet or small to medium size rooms. However, for mini desiccant dehumidifiers, as well as electric rods, manufacturers indicate the recommended coverage area in cubic feet since these units are commonly used in tiny, enclosed spaces instead of full-sized rooms.
Drainage Options
Portable dehumidifiers collect moisture in an internal tank. With refrigerant dehumidifiers, the tank may fill up within a few hours of continuous dehumidification, then you have to empty the water to resume operation. You may have to do this multiple times a day in large, humid spaces. However, many dehumidifiers also offer continuous draining options via drain hose or pump. For automatic gravity drainage, simply attach a drain hose (which may not be included) to the outlet port and direct the other end to a low-level drain. Large units may also offer a built-in pump option for draining. You can learn more about dehumidifier draining options here.
On the other hand, electric dehumidifier rods require very little maintenance and no drainage. Simply install, plug them in, and your piano, cabinet, or safe stays warm and dry without producing any condensate. However, they do need to be plugged in 24/7 to maintain proper humidity levels.
Additional Features
Electric rods must also include mounting brackets or feet and screws for flexible installation. If you opt to use a refrigerant dehumidifier for the piano room, this unit usually includes the standard auto shut-off and auto defrost functions as well as the corresponding indicator lights. It should also feature a built-in digital humidistat so you can set your desired humidity level. You can also find an on/off timer, multiple fan speeds, as well as different operation modes.
Conclusion
Pianos, being mostly made of wooden material, are prone to the damages caused by extreme changes in relative humidity levels. We have talked about the potential damaging effects of high humidity on the instrument and its sound quality. To make sure the piano is kept in its ideal environment, piano owners may consider installing a dehumidifier rod to stay warm and dry when moisture content rises.
Or, install a portable dehumidifier for the whole room to keep all items as well as the room occupants comfortable. Whichever type you choose, make sure to consider the features you need to find the best dehumidifier. Take your pick from the list above or use our buying guide to help you decide on your own.
