What is the effect of weather extremes and what should I do about it?

Always keep your instrument away from extremes of temperature and humidity. The ideal temperature is 72 degrees and humidity of 50 to 60 percent. Keep your instrument out of direct sunlight and away from heaters. Even in the dead of winter direct sunlight is very dangerous. Avoid putting the violin in a trunk of a car or in a closed, unoccupied car. Heat can cause damage to the varnish, seams can open and serious cracks can occur.

In the winter when the temperature outside drops below 20 degrees it is advisable to keep the instrument in a room with a humidifier or a vaporizer. When going outside or to a rehearsal or concert I would advise using a Dampit or some humidifying device in the case. In the summer in humid climates it is advisable to have a dehumidifier in the room where the violin is stored. Extreme warmth and humidity will among other things tend to melt the glue in the violin which can cause the neck to drop and seams and repaired cracks to become unglued.