At Dorset Pianos Ltd we always offer our own warranty varying from one year to five years. Our warranty is dependent on accepting and arranging any free tunings/paid local tuners offered which should take place as follows, unless agreed waiver in writing –
- First tuning to be completed 4-8 weeks after delivery.
- Second tuning to be completed 6 months after the first free tuning.
Tunings not completed in the above timescale voids our warranty and the free tunings offer if applicable. Some of our deals do not include the free tunings but this does not affect your consumer rights.
Why free tunings?
Free tunings are the responsibility of the client to get in touch with us and arrange.
Our free tunings are not a gimmick to make more sales! They are an essential part of the piano purchase as we can gain access to the piano in its new home and evaluate any threats to its continued good service, if outside our 30 mile radius from showroom, free tunings must be completed by a local professional piano tuner that Dorset Pianos Ltd recommend. The service is free (if within 30 mile radius of showroom) so it enables any customer to access this service, further afield is agreed separately. The first visit can often be a pianos life saver and the second visit is to ensure any changes advised have been successful.
Our warranty is also dependant on Dorset Pianos Ltd carrying out regular tunings to the supplied piano at six monthly intervals (or local piano tuner if outside our 30 mile radius of showroom), so twice a year.
Why does a piano need to be tuned twice a year?
Pianos need to be tuned at least twice a year due to the United Kingdom being a seasonal country.
During the winter months windows stay shut and the heating stays on creating a dry atmosphere in the entire house with no new air getting into the house. Various age of houses are more prone than others, such as newer build houses are far better insulated than a Georgian or Tudor houses.
During the Summer windows are open and possibly more humid conditions persist as the UK is surrounded by the sea and our weather conditions do air on the humid in the summer with the main weather coming from the South West.
The variation of seasons makes the wood of the piano retract/shrink in the winter as heating in houses will dry out the air and then in the summer the humidity goes up and the wood of the piano will then expand.
The above is if the piano has been correctly positioned in the house and away from direct sunlight, direct heating source, outside wall, conservatory, kitchen, garage, shed, wooden building, garage, direct moisture creators, (humidifiers, dehumidifiers-unless advised to) damp premises generally.
We always advice purchasing a Humidity gauge which are very cheap and this can be kept directly on the piano and you can then keep informed and make changes easily to keep the optimum conditions.
