What are the dangers of extreme temperature for an acoustic piano?

Question

I am planning to buy an upright acoustic piano in the future. But before I do, there are some points I need to clarify.

I initially did not want to buy an acoustic piano, because I was afraid of all the care it required (tuning, humidity, temperature, awkward family members, animal, etc.), but then I realised many of them apply for a digital piano anyway.

Tuning is simple. Humidity level can be easily monitored using a device. Family members and animal can be dealt with by having the piano in a room that isn't often visited.

But I have no idea how to prevent temperature from rising or dropping to critical level during Winter or Summer. I mean, I can have the piano in a room without windows and good isolation. But if the air itself is burning hot, there is nothing I can do to keep the piano room cool (beside having an air conditioner, but I cannot afford having an air conditioner just for the piano).

What are the actual dangers of having a room below 10°C or above 35°C for a piano? I am afraid of seeing my piano wither just because I can't keep the room below 30°C.

Answer 1

If the temperature occasionally goes below 10°C or above 35°C there should be no problem as long as you can avoid sudden changes of temperature. You should at all costs avoid having the piano exposed to direct sunlight. It makes sense to keep the piano in a room that is heated to at least 15° during the winter.

If the temperature changes a lot, the piano will need tuning more often.

A bigger problem is humidity. Pianos prefer the humidity to be between 40 and 60%. If it goes much above 80% the wood is liable to swell, and below 30% the wood can dry out. It's worth investing in a hygrometer. If you live in a desert climate you'll definitely need a humidifier during the summer, and if you live in a cold climate you might need a humidifier during the winter.