No A/C what do most do?

[AirborneSFC]

Hey everyone so I have lived in Germany for a while and you might have guessed it I don't have A/C. So question for others living in Europe and elsewhere - what to do about our drums? For the most part my practice room stays at a climate friendly to people.

My thoughts are for those of us living here in Europe this is something that I think most face. Do most just get a dehumidifier? FWIW my house and all my electronics have been fine with no A/C. My previous drum kit was also ok.

[con struct]

When I lived in England I kept my drums in one of the the rooms in my flat, no dehumidifier, and I never saw any problem, even when we'd get the odd heat wave. It didn't bother the drums, but it bothered the hell out of me.

These days you can buy quite good AC units over there, most likely all over Europe. When I move back to the UK I'm going to pick up a few of them. Brits think I'm crazy, say why buy something you'll only use a few weeks out of the year? But when those heat waves happen I'm going to be nice and cool and sipping an iced tea.

Hey everyone so I have lived in Germany for a while and you might have guessed it I don't have A/C. So question for others living in Europe and elsewhere - what to do about our drums? For the most part my practice room stays at a climate friendly to people.

My thoughts are for those of us living here in Europe this is something that I think most face. Do most just get a dehumidifier? FWIW my house and all my electronics have been fine with no A/C. My previous drum kit was also ok.

[Red Menace]

Well I live here in the Southwestern US so if my AC goes out then I panic and call my apartment manager. Wasn't too bad today, only went up to 107 (42 c).

[AirborneSFC]

I just got a dehumidifier for my practice room. Have it set to keep it at 40% humidity.
That is what several guitar and instrument manufacturers recommend.

What I think is interesting is that Doctors recommend a range of 40-50% relative humidity indoors as healthy for people! So there you have it - if its comfortable for people your instruments should be fine.

[Davo-London]

Dude, I thought you had no electricity.

No AirCon doesn't sound so bad now.

: )

Davo

[AirborneSFC]

Dude, I thought you had no electricity.

No AirCon doesn't sound so bad now.

: )

Davo

I play drums by candle light ;-) we use a bonfire for concerts

[Otto]

Keep em out of direct sunlight and there should be no problem until you move to death valley, Arizona...and then you might have a problem yourself.. : )

[groove1]

It was only 50-60 years ago and back that anyone in your position would have been dealing
with calfskin heads too! Enjoy the plastic! Everything's ok.

40-50% humidity is the best. One thing to know is that in humidity less than 50% Dust Mites can't live. That's another reason to keep it below 50%.

[larryz]

Keep em out of direct sunlight and there should be no problem until you move to death valley, Arizona...and then you might have a problem yourself.. : )

I agree. I think keeping them out of the sunlight is more important than just avoiding heat, in general. I keep both of my kits and practice on the 3rd floor on an 100 year old house with no a/c. It gets well over 90 up there very often from late spring to early fall period. No problems....yet. Playing up there is fun. Like a sauna + drum room all in one. Lose weight the fun way. Your drums should be ok.

[markdrum]

I've lived in both extremes, southeast US and at the base of the Rocky mountains and I haven't seen much of a change with my wooden drums. The problem in high humidity is with some of the chrome. This is especially true with the older Ludwigs. Some of my furniture doesn't like the dryness here in Colorado but the drum shells are so well built that I haven't seen any ply separation, wrap bubbling or loss of finish About 40% sounds right. i have a friend who is a luthier, mostly mandolins, and that's what he keeps his workshop at.Where in Germany are you? That is one beautiful place with great people.