Dear Mr. Chappell:

I will be moving across the country and want to know how to move my piano most safely. The van I have arranged to move my furniture is not climate controlled but the move will only take four or five days. I’m sure this will be a good quality moving company. What should I worry about? Thanks for any advice you can give.

— Mover

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Dear Mover:

I had a piano moved from California to Baltimore. I used Schafer Piano Company — they specialize in coast-to-coast piano moving. They list an 800 phone number.

I was concerned that they would be moving the piano during the WINTER in a truck that was not climate-controlled. But it arrived in tune and in perfect shape.

A piano technician that I asked about this told me that the life span of a piano is many years, and that a brief period of a few days under not perfect conditions was similar to someone smoking cigarettes for a few days versus being a life-long chain smoker. It might have uncomfortable short term effects, but would be negligible overall.

But this person should talk to other piano tuners about the possible bad effects of moving a piano across the country in a hot truck. More than one opinion is better to have.

— J.C.