As a matter of standard maintenance, a piano should be tuned at least twice a year. (A new aor restored piano should be tuned a few times the first year to compensate for string stretch and normal settling.) Regular service by a qualified technician will help you to avoid expensive repairs in the future.
When strings stretch above or drop below optimal tension a pitch adjustment is necessary to bring the piano back to the international pitch standard of A-440. (This usually requires the tuner to make 2, 3 or even more passes/tunings for every string on the piano.)
A pianos touch, tone and exterior will decline with age and depending on the quality of the piano, its usage and maintenance performed will determine how soon it may need rebuilding. The best way to decide is to have the piano evaluated by a qualified technician to determine what the individual piano needs.
Not all pianos are worth restoration and many times on smaller instruments the cost of restoration is more than the cost of a new one. However, most large high quality pianos can be rebuilt for less than the cost of a new one depending on brand and current market. Also, if the piano has sentimental value to its owner this may justify the restoration costs.
Not if you ever use the fireplace. The heat would likely do significant damage to the instrument, and the change in temperature and humidity from times of fireplace use to times of non-use would make it difficult to keep the piano in tune.
There was a time when people were advised not to put a piano against an outside wall. Today, however, most homes are insulated well enough that that advice no longer holds. That said, I would suggest allowing an air space of a few inches between an outside wall and an upright piano. Note: Sometimes heating registers are placed on outside walls. Pianos should definitely not be placed anywhere near heating registers. The warm air will dry out the piano and cause damage.
That depend a great deal on how much the piano is used, how well it’s maintained, and on the climate in which it resides. A piano played 16 hours a day in a school practice room in a cold climate might be “dead” in ten years or less, whereas one pampered in a living room in a mild climate might last nearly a century before requiring complete restoration to function again. A rule-of-thumb answer typically given is that an average piano under average conditions will last 40 to 50 years. However, even after a piano has ended its natural life for a particular purpose, it may still have a new life as a used instrument for a lesser purpose. And if it has enough intrinsic value, it may eventually be rebuilt and start its life all over again!
It’s probably not necessary to have a new piano inspected by a piano technician unless you have specific issues or concerns of a technical nature about which you need advice. Sometimes a teacher or piano-playing friend can be helpful in selecting an instrument. We definitely recommend having a used piano evaluated by a piano technician before purchase, especially if it is more than 10 years old and/or being purchased from a private party. Pianos can have expensive problems that are not obvious to the owner or player.
If you would like your kids to develop a good musical ear and not get frustrated by notes that don’t work or sound right, then you should be concerned with the condition of the piano. It’s possible to be concerned without being overly fussy.
A digital piano is fine for beginners. However, it will only take you so far; after a couple of years of lessons, you will likely need a decent acoustic piano to progress. A digital piano is a reasonable alternative if the risk is high that the player will lose interest, or if you move often. It’s also suitable for apartment and condo dwellers, or for those who want to play late into the evening, since with a digital you can silence the piano and use headphones.
Pianos can have a life expectancy of 60 years or more if well maintained, and they generally perform well for their first 30 to 40 years. However, due to depreciation, a used piano only a few years old may be much less expensive than a comparable new one. Therefore, under the right circumstances, a used piano can be a better value than a new one. There are, however, concerns related to buying used, such as risk, lack of warranty, and the difficulties of shopping for one.