It can be hard to find somewhere to keep your instruments, especially if they’re big ones. Sometimes you might have what would be the perfect space size-wise but it’s near a radiator or in a warm environment. It’s worth knowing whether it’s ok to leave instrument in this kind of environment and what some possible consequences might be.
If at all avoidable, you shouldn’t leave a woodwind instrument near a radiator. The materials used to make the instrument will expand at different rates in response to an increase in temperature. This can lead to warping of wooden instruments or reeds and can cause glue to degrade, leading to looseness in keywork or pads moving and creating air gaps.
Leaving your instrument in an environment that is not close to room temperature will most likely be bad for it. If this is very occasional with a metal instrument, you’re unlikely to do any permanent damage, but doing this repeatedly will degrade things like glue and pads. For wooden instruments, it’s even worse, as at extreme temperatures these instruments can crack, something which is never really fully fixable.
What happens when a metal instrument gets too hot?
If you play a metal instrument, like a flute or a sax, the instrument getting hot has several consequences. Something you will notice straight away is the tuning. This is not a permanent problem but can be annoying in the short term. This happens because when materials are heated they expand. The instrument is designed to be in tune at a particular temperature, with some room for adjustment. Making it warmer will make it bigger, which makes it sharper. The player will then have to adjust for this.
Another problem that can be caused by the instrument getting too warm is that the expansion of the metal will be different to the expansion of the pads. This means that the position of the pads will shift in relation to the keys and this can result in air gaps being made. This can be quite easily repaired by replacing the pads or tightening the screws, but it’s much better to avoid it if possible.
The cork can also be damaged as a result of heating. It can get dried out and warp or even crack, meaning it will need replacing. There is also the worry that the glue used to attach keys and pads will degrade with temperature. This will not happen quickly but could be a long term effect if you regularly leave it somewhere too hot. In theory, this is also fixable, but it could quickly get expensive if you have to have keys replaced.
Realistically with a metal instrument, you are unlikely to do any irreversible damage to it if you leave it in front of a radiator or in a hot environment. However, if you do this a lot, you will almost certainly start to see the effects and it will end up costing you quite a lot of money to keep on top of it.
What happens when a wooden instrument gets too hot?
Getting a wooden instrument hot can have much bigger consequences than for a metal instrument. Wood is not a material that responds well to rapid temperature changes. When a wooden instrument is heated, the wood can dry out, which makes it more brittle and affects the sound quality. In severe cases, the word can actually warp.
Probably the worst thing that can happen to a wooden instrument as a result of temperature change is cracking. If you keep putting your clarinet in front of a radiator that’s turned on, you risk it cracking. Cracks often occur when the temperature of the internal bore of the clarinet is different to the external surface temperature. This is likely if you suddenly put it in front of a radiator, particularly if it’s just come from somewhere fairly cold.
A crack in an instrument is irreversible. It can be repaired to some extent but there will always be permanent cosmetic damage and it’s likely to affect the sound to some extent. Always keep an eye on where you’re leaving your instrument to avoid this happening. It will devalue your instrument by about 50%, assuming it’s properly repairable and if you’ve invested in a wooden one, this is likely to be a significant amount of money!
Wooden instruments also have all the same problems as metal instruments with keywork coming loose and pads becoming unseated, as well as the tuning problems. They are delicate instruments and you should ensure as much as is reasonable that you keep them in a suitable environment so that they don’t suffer any serious damage.
Don’t forget that what applies to wooden instruments also applies to reeds. Reeds are very prone to cracks and warping, particularly close to the tip because it is so thin. While having one of your reeds break is much less of a problem than your instrument cracking, it’s still something you should aim to avoid. You can end up wasting a lot of money getting rid of reeds and you might not even realise that heat damage is the issue, so it’s something to be aware of.
How does humidity affect instruments?
Unfortunately, if you’re putting your instrument by a radiator, not only are you increasing its temperature, you’re also increasing the humidity. This is damaging for the instruments and can cause warping or cracking. This can become even more of a problem if you haven’t cleaned your instrument before putting it in its case.
When you clean your instrument, you also dry it. If you don’t clean it, there will be a lot of water droplets left behind inside it. These water droplets will find it quite difficult to get out of the case and to some extent will hang around in the air after evaporating, creating a more humid environment. Couple this with leaving your instrument in front of a radiator and your chances of getting a crack in your instrument or needing some replacement pads are much higher.
In extreme cases, you can also collect mould in your instrument. It is more likely that this will manifest in mouthpieces or on reeds, but if you put your instrument straight into its case while still where and then also store it somewhere warm it can spread further. The pads under the keys might collect some mould and replacing these can get expensive quite quickly so it’s very important to watch the humidity levels as well as the temperature.
What can I do if I realise my instrument is too hot?
Occasionally, you might accidentally end up in a situation where your instrument has got too hot. You might have left it by a radiator that you didn’t notice, or wasn’t on when you left it but got turned on later or in your car in the sun. What should you do if this happens? Most importantly, don’t cool it down quickly. This makes it much more likely to get damaged as rapid temperature changes are much worse than slow ones, as this gives a bigger temperature difference between the inside and outside of the instruments.
If your instrument is too warm, you should gradually cool it down in a controlled way. Maybe start by leaving it where it is but opening the case to let some air in. Then move it gradually further away from the heat source. It’s hard to be patient in a situation like this but it will stop your instrument getting any more damaged than it has been so far.
How can I make sure my instrument is stored at the right temperature?
Keeping your instrument at the right temperature is about storing it in the correct environment. This should be around room temperature and not too humid (recommended humidity is around 40-50%). If this isn’t easy in your home there are a few things you can do to help.
If you have a room that you want to store your instruments in that requires central heating, you should never store the instruments near the radiator. If the room is small, it’s probably not the best place. You should also try to avoid storing them in an area that gets direct sunlight, as this can have a similar effect.
I tend to store my instruments in cupboards. These won’t get any sunlight and are therefore generally a bit cooler than other parts of the house. They’re also separated from heating by a door which helps a bit too. Another option is to store them under a bed. This will also be shaded and probably not right next to a radiator.