In regard to John Tuttle's idea for using an electric blanket to keep
a piano warm in the winter:  I think this is a good idea in concept
but I don't think an electric blanket would work very well.  An
electric blanket only puts out a maximum of about 180 watts of heat.
By comparison a space heater puts out 1200 watts of power.

Now think about this:  If you are in a small room with no heat and it
is about 50 degrees (F) outside, a space heater will heat the room
reasonably well.  But if it is zero degrees outside you will have to sit
right next the space heater to even keep a little warm, even with 1200
watts of heat.  Alternately, if instead of using the space heater you
decided to wrap it up in an electric blanket with its mere 180 watts of
heat, you would be even colder.

If it is 0 degrees outside (so with the main heat off it is 0 degrees
inside), you are going to need a lot more than the paltry 180 watts of
heat from an electric blanket keep the 60 cubic feet (or so) of mass of
a grand piano even slightly warm.

I think you can see by way of comparison that the 180 watts of an
electric blanket is not going to come even close to doing much of
anything for the piano.

Perhaps a better idea would be to leave the main heat on at about 45
degrees.  This would not only keep the piano from freezing but the
water pipes as well <grin>.

Regards,

Ray Finch

P.S.  I know that pianos don't like excessive heat (pneumatic coverings
crack, rubber tubing and leathers dry out, etc.), but what damage does
cold do to a player piano?