SC | agenda Home improvement for the weekend warrior

Are you a weekend warrior when it comes to home improvement tasks? Here are three new projects to consider.

u INSTALL A SMART THERMOSTAT. Cooling and heating your home account for a large portion of energy bills, but smart thermostats can help keep your energy costs in check.

Now that smart thermostats are more affordable than ever (as little as $70!), this simple upgrade is an easy weekend project. Smart thermostats offer a variety of bells and whistles, but even a basic model will allow you to set custom temperature schedules and adjust the settings from anywhere (via your phone), and over time, the device will learn your cooling and heating preferences.

Your new smart thermostat will come with step-by-step instructions, but this project typically involves shutting off your HVAC at the breaker panel, disconnecting and removing the old thermostat, installing the new smart thermostat, and connecting it to your home Wi-Fi network. u BOOST YOUR GREENERY WITH A RAIN BARREL.

If you’ve got a green thumb, you already know that rainwater is the best way to irrigate your outdoor plants. Installing a rain barrel is an easy way to harvest large amounts of rainwater and cut your water bill it’s a win-win. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, one rain barrel can save a homeowner 1,300 gallons of water annually.

ONLY ON u CREATE FRESH SAVINGS WITH A CLOTHESLINE. If you have enough outdoor space, installing a clothesline is a great way to save energy. You’ll save on dryer costs, and in the summer, you will also lower cooling costs since unwanted heat from the clothes dryer won’t be added to your home. Additionally, air drying is much gentler on fabrics and will keep your clothes and linens looking fresh longer.

Residential rain barrels range in size from 50 to 90 gallons, so the size you purchase will depend on your watering needs. The simplest way to install a rain barrel is to position a plastic or wooden barrel directly under your gutter downspout.

You can create your own clothesline with two T-posts, wire and hook-and-eye turnbuckles. Depending on your soil, you may need a small amount of Quikrete to set the posts. Another option is to install the line between two trees. A typical load of laundry requires about 35 feet of line, so keep this in mind as you’re determining the best location.

ABBY BERRY

Head to the hills

Our Reader Reply Travel Sweepstakes is back and better than ever, thanks to our sponsor Upcountry South Carolina. They are offering up a prize package with food, accommodation, entertainment and transportation—everything you need for a weekend escape to the Blue Ridge Foothills. Mail in the entry form on the facing page or register online at SCLiving.coop/reader-reply for your chance to win. But don’t delay. Entries must be received by June 30, 2023, to be eligible for the prize drawing.

What’s cooking?

In this month’s recipes column (page 10), Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan shares the simple dishes that make up one of her all-time favorite meals. And at SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda, she shares her cooking secrets in exclusive how-to videos. Watch and learn as she whips up Wilted Arugula and Prosciutto Peach Crostini. These videos are the next best thing to having the chef in your kitchen, cooking alongside you.

Down in the mud

If you enjoy this month’s stories on woodworkers like Dan Wilson (page 12) and Tom Boozer (page 14), there’s more in store for you on our website. Visit SCLiving.coop/logs for “Down in the mud”—the story of aquatic harvesters who salvage old-growth timber from the bottom of lakes and rivers.

Wildwater Rafting and BMW. Find full sweepstakes rules at SCLiving.coop/sweepstakes-rules.

MIKE COUICK President and CEO, The Electric Cooperatives

Within the last month, we’ve heard troubling reports that a major for-profit entity may be lobbying Congress to exclude electric cooperatives from receiving federal grant money that is earmarked for broadband expansion.