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 in to an electrical outlet.

Cover the piano with heavy blankets.

Arrange to have it regularly inspected for rodent infestation.