Tom Sawyer? Bubblewrap, paint, candles, flower pots

Well, I didn't have to pull a Tom Sawyer to get my sister to help paint the garage wall with sealing paint.  We moved things around so we can get the car in and out easier.  We got the trunks up on bricks to prevent any risk of water damage (unless the house washes away).  It's supposed to rain and be colder this week so we jumped in and started painted the worst area for the dampness and seepage through the masonry blocks. 

I painted the one wall before but hadn't gotten very far on the garage wall.  We got about a third done and part of that was a second coat on what I had already done.  The colder weather snuck up on us so we're trying to work to get the most of this one wall done to cut down on the mildew and mold.  Between caulking, sealing paint, bleach and concrete caulking, we're gaining on the mildew.

We also got draft dodgers up on the doors, got painter's canvas up in the living room to cut down the area we heat with small heaters and we put up bubble wrap on the windows (bubble side out - measure, cut and attach with plain water).  The bubble wrap acts like insulation at a fraction of the cost of window film and works better than just plastic.

We've noticed a difference.

I'm also heating my room at night while I'm on my laptop or reading with tea light candles in a bread cooking tin - over 3-5 tea lights I place a small terracotta pot with the bottom (now the top) hold covered.  Over that is another terracotta pot with the drain hole left open.  The small pot heats up from the candles and the heat is caught between the two pots and warm air is forced through the drain hole - a convection heater at work.  It takes the chill out of the air and keeps my hands from freezing while trying to type.  I can tell when the candles are burning down, there is a difference in the air.

Pictures to follow