Hey, I'm reviving this thread with another question. I would like to start some native perennials from seed. My seeds will need to be cold-stratified which I will do in the frig. I would also like to use my unheated basement. It sounds like slow germination is the biggest issue with a colder area. What do you all think of letting the seed germinate upstairs then moving them to the basement under a light?

I've been venting my dryer indoors during the winter for six years in two small houses and my folks have been doing the same for about seven years and neither of us have had any problems. Keep in mind that the locations in question have been Calgary, Alberta and Bozeman, Montana and both locations have extremely dry air in the winter. I live alone, so I do laundry infrequently; my parents do laundry considerably more often, but their house is large enough to handle the extra moisture. It's also worth noting that home humidifiers can pump more than a gallon of water per day into large houses in extreme winter climates and the "gallon of water per load" statistic applies to large loads of laundry that have been lightly spun; a fast-spinning front-load machine gets clothes fairly dry, right out of the washer. Since we're talking about saving resources, you *do* have a front-loader, right? ; ) The only time I've had an issue has been when the outside temperature is below -20C (roughly 0F), in which case windows near the dryer can experience considerable condensation. One solution is to vent the air outside for the most of the dryer's cycle, then let the air flow inside once the clothes are fairly dry. To solve the lint issue, attach one leg of a finely woven pair of pantyhose to the inside vent with a tight-fitting elastic band. It looks absurd, but the large area permits air to flow with almost no restriction (much like the folds inside a car's air filter) and does a great job of removing lint. The air is nowhere near hot enough to cause me any concern over lint ignition, but it's still prudent to turn the filter inside out and vacuum it once in a while. In summary, many of the above posts are alarmist nonsense and/or apply to warm, moist climates that would benefit little from this energy saving trick. For those of us with cold, dry winters, a couple small tricks make this a great way to save energy and provide beneficial humidity. (In case someone reading this has somehow missed the disclaimer: This DOES NOT apply to gas dryers!)

The code requirements for fireblocking can be found in the International Residential Code, which is the model code used for one- and two-family dwelling construction throughout most of the US. The code states the following: R602.8 Fireblocking required. Fireblocking shall be provided to cut off all concealed draft openings (both vertical and horizontal) and to form an effective fire barrier between stories, and between a top story and the roof space. Fireblocking shall be provided in wood-frame construction in the following locations. 1. In concealed spaces of stud walls and partitions, including furred spaces and parallel rows of studs or staggered studs; as follows: 1.1. Vertically at the ceiling and floor levels. 1.2. Horizontally at intervals not exceeding 10 feet (3048 mm). 2. At all interconnections between concealed vertical and horizontal spaces such as occur at soffits, drop ceilings and cove ceilings. 3. In concealed spaces between stair stringers at the top and bottom of the run. Enclosed spaces under stairs shall comply with Section R311.2.2. 4. At openings around vents, pipes, ducts, cables and wires at ceiling and floor level, with an approved material to resist the free passage of flame and products of combustion Products that can be used for fireblocking, as tested and certified by the ICC Evaluation Service, include Hilti CF810 Fireblocking foam, Dow Great Stuff (orange) fireblocking foam, and others. When evaluating a product for this application, look at the label to see if it mentions ICC-ES and fireblocking.

So, I am running into a snafu. I have contacted four different fabricators. One asked for clarification, twice but still has not given me an estimate. One told me she did not do scallops, only pleats. I said ok, quote me pleats. Then a few days later she told me the did not do slipcovers for wooden chairs. Hmm ok. Then I contacted someone I have used a lot in CT. She said she would not make slipcovers for sleigh back chairs ....hmm.., which now makes me suspect of anyone who thinks they can. A fourth person got back to me only yesterday and I sent her the details. I am starting to think I may have to just reupholster them. 😢 So, this is the room and what I was planning (NOTE - this is my table but w/o gold leafing) So now if I need to reupholster, keep in mind chairs have not just a seat, and a back, the back has two sides. Would you just do an off white, Sunbrella type fabric? Would you mix in a complementary fabric, maybe just on the backside of the back? I would still make some lumbars for the head chairs and maybe for the arm chairs. These are some of the fabrics still under consideration: