If you have to put your piano in storage...

Don't if at all possible.
Pianos, like people, prefer safe and cozy homes, away from drafts, dampness and rodents. Putting a piano into storage usually means moving it from a comfortable house to a cold and drafty warehouse. Even if the facility is advertised as "climate-controlled " it's rarely as well-regulated as a home. The more variable the temperature and humidity, the faster a piano deteriorates.

If you must store your piano, try to find a friend to keep it for you. Ideally, someone in the "foster home" will play the piano and agree to have it serviced periodically by a technician of your choice.

Unheated personal storage units are not suitable places to store pianos for any length of time.

A well-built garage can be an acceptable option for short term storage (up to one year), if you take some precautions:
- Check the building's drainage. Make sure the floor under the piano will never be damp.
- Is the building weather-tight? There should be no dew on the inside of the windows on a cool rainy day.
- Ask your technician to install a climate control system in the piano. Make sure it stays plugged into an electrical outlet.
- Cover the piano with heavy blankets.
- Arrange to have it regularly inspected for rodent infestation.