When bottles and windows are broken or windshields shattered, some of this glass is recycled, but a lot of it ends up in the landfill. Today, this glass is being used to create unique, durable, environmentally-conscious countertops, according to taunton.com.

Althought countertops made of cement and recycled glass have been around for more than a decade, production has been low and manufacturers have been scarce. Currently, more companies are salvaging glass fragments, available in various colors and shapes, and mixing them with cement and epoxy to make countertops.

Recycled glass makes up about 75 to 85 percent of the finished countertop, depending on the manufacturer. Because cement countertops can be stained by acids in citrus juices, vinegar and wine, these countertops need to be sealed and maintained. Epoxy countertops don't need sealing but should be polished with paste wax to maintain their finish.

In the past, if you wanted automated-controlled lighting or the ability to raise, lower and turn on or off lights in your home, you would have to either upgrade all of the wiring in your home or use the existing power lines to send messages to specially equipped light fixtures and other "smart" devices.

Because of improvements in wireless and power-line technology, it's now easier and more affordable to control all of your existing lighting from just about anywhere, according to www.thisoldhouse.com. You can turn on table lamps, dim overhead lights and spotlight a specific photo or artwork in one easy step.

There are two ways to get this system to work. For lights that work with wall switches, replace the switch/dimmer with new automated hardware. For lamps and other freestanding lights, plug it into a special adapter that fits in a wall socket.

After the system is complete, there are several ways you can control your lighting. Some systems work with a wireless remote control. You can turn fixtures on and off or dim the lights from anywhere in the house. You can also set the lights to go on at a certain time or activate a "burglar deterrent" mode while you are away. Another system uses plug-in or wall-mounted control panels, which communicate with the lights throughout the house via existing power lines.

Keep in mind remote-controlled lighting not only provides a convenient way to operate all of the lighting in your home, but it also provides a safety value to your home.

Finish grade is the surface elevation of the ground. In home inspections, it can be referred to as lot grading. The grade, or height, and slope of surface materials surrounding a structure are important because water from precipitation moves from areas of high elevations to low elevations on and off a property. A correctly-graded lot drains surface water away from structures to help prevent water damage.

Correct drainage is achieved in a number of ways. The ground can be sloped away from the home. Swales, or hollow ditches, can divert water around the house. Catch basins, sometimes located in the yard or at the bottom of a driveway that slopes toward the house, can collect water and divert it away. Features added into construction, such as drain tiles, gutters and downspouts, help carry water off and around the structure.

Grade and slope are not the only factors that impact surface drainage on a site. The soil type, placement of trees and shrubs and location of impervious materials, such as concrete, climate and overall location of the home may affect the pattern of surface water drainage as well.

A property inspector will consider surface grading as part of the exterior inspection of your property. To locate an inspector in your area, go to http://www.npiweb.com

When inspecting exterior structures like decks, consider condition and safety. Alerting clients to possible safety issues can be especially important on move-in day when the extra knowledge could prevent a fall. The visual inspection of a deck can include: supports, attachments, stairs, a floor, handrails, skirts, guardrails and spindles, among other things.

Although regulations for height and width (or rise and run) of steps change by location, the general goal is ease of use. To avoid tripping hazards, steps should be uniform and level. This is also true of decking material. Warped boards or a settled porch can increase the chance for falls. Handrails are designed to provide support going up or down stairs. These should be easy to grab in a panic and securely attached. Guardrails keep people from falling off any type of landing, whether inside or outside. Again, the important thing to consider is strength, condition and attachment of the guardrail. Spindles or balusters below the guard should be close enough together to prevent small children from falling through. This distance is generally between four and six inches.

According to the National Safety Council, falls are the leading cause of unintentional injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms. For more information on deck safety and a general property inspection, click here.

It's summer and it's hot. What feels better than coming inside to a cool house? You probably have your thermostat set low this summer and don't realize the effects of it until you get your energy bill. With the rise in energy costs, there are more efficient ways to keep you cool without emptying your pockets. Ever heard of a ceiling fan?

Ceiling fans circulate air. They do not ventilate a room or lower the temperature. They simply create a draft. That draft, or air movement over the skin, provides a wind chill effect on our bodies, increasing the evaporation of sweat off the skin and making the room seem cooler.

Whole house or window air conditioners actually cool the temperature of the air. However, the use of ceiling fans can still help reduce energy bills. Because rooms with ceiling fans feel cooler because of the additional air movement, it allows homeowners to set the cooling temperature on the air conditioner higher, reducing energy bills and possibly prolonging the life of the cooling equipment.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using a ceiling fan with an air conditioning system will allow most people to raise the thermostat temperature setting about 4 degrees without a reduction in comfort level. Raising the temperature is what creates the savings, not installing and running the fan. For more energy savings, turn fans off when exiting a room. Furniture can't "feel" the effect of air movement.

For best efficiency, also consider the type of lights use in the ceiling fans. The fan itself may only be used part of the year; many times, the lights are used every day. A single bulb can be more efficient than many bulbs and fluorescent lights are far more efficient than incandescent.

Heating and air conditioning systems are part of a National Property Inspections general property inspection, which provides you with information on all major home systems to help you plan for future maintenance and care. We will assess the current condition and functionality of heating and air conditioning systems as temperatures allow, including checking air flow at registers throughout the home.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, poisonless gas. It is produced by the incomplete burning of solid, liquid and gaseous fluids. Appliances fueled with natural gas, liquid petroleum, oil, kerosene, coal or wood may produce CO.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), every year, over 200 people in the United States die from CO produced by fuel-burning appliances (furnaces, ranges, water heaters, room heaters). Several thousand go to hospital emergency rooms for treatment for CO poisoning, according to the CPSC.

Symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to the flu and include headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness. While it is important to recognize these symptoms, there are also ways to prevent CO poisoning.

• Make sure appliances are installed according to manufacturer's instructions and local building codes. Most appliances should be installed by professionals.
• Install a CO detector/alarm in the hallway near every separate sleeping area of the home.
• Never burn charcoal inside a home, garage, tent or vehicle.
• Never leave a car running in an attached garage, even with the garage door open.
• Never use appliances such as ranges, ovens or clothes dryers for heating your home.
• Do not use gasoline-powered tools and engines outdoors.

When it comes to energy consumption, the kitchen is the hungriest room in the house. Kitchen appliances - including refrigerators, freezers, ranges and dishwashers - account for about 27 percent of household electricity use, according to taunton.com. Refrigerators and freezers account for nearly two-thirds of kitchen energy use.

Here are some tips for remodeling your kitchen into a "smart" kitchen that can save you money and resources.

Refrigerators/Freezers

Look for:

• The Energy Star Label. The U.S. Environmental  Protection Agency confers these models are 15% more energy efficient than the federal minimum.
• Freezers on top or bottom. Side-by-side refrigerators use more energy.
• Manual defrost cyclces.
• Door alarms. Some manufacturers offer an alarm that will sound if the fridge door is left open.

Cooktops and Ovens

• Induction: induction technology is back with more high-end cooktops. Efficiency is the highest of any cooktop because the cookware is heated directly.
• Radiant ceramic: the most common mid-to-high-end electric cooktop today, it has relatively fast-heating radiant elements under ceramic glass, providing a sleek, easy-to-clean stovetop surface.
• Electric coil: available on low-cost ranges and cooktops, these old-fashioned open-coil elements are slow to  heat up and difficult to clean, but efficient at transferring energy to the pot.
• Gas: cooks prefer gas burners for speed and controllability but gas cooktops rate worst in terms of energy efficiency. Gas cooktops use only about 40 percent of the energy produced.

Dishwashers

Look for:

• The Energy Star Lable. Energy-star qualified dishwashers are at least 41 percent more energy efficient than the federal minimum.
• Soil sensing. This technology determines how dirty dishes are. Water use and wash cycle adjust accordingly, saving significant water and energy.
• No-heat drying. Make sure you buy a dishwasher with a no-heat drying option, which can save a significant amount of energy.

Use the following checklist, with tips from the Home Safety Council, as a guide to keep your family safe from kitchen hazards.

• Store harmful products in their original containers and away from food.
• Do not transfer poisonous or caustic products to drinking glasses, pop bottles or other food containers.
• Post the poinson control hotline (1-800-222-1222) and other emergency numbers near every phone.
• Store knives and sharp objectsout of the reach of children.
• Wear gloves and masks when using harsh products.
• Do not mix products together to avoid dangerous reactions.
• Put away products promptly after use and wipe up spills immediately.
• Keep kitchen walkways clear of clutter.
• Cover the trashcan with a lid.
• Make sure your kitchen electrical outlets have ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection.
• Test the GFCI monthly by pushing the red test button.
• Do not leave the kitchen while cooking.
• Keep things that can burn, such as distowels, plastic or paper bags and curtains at least three feet from the range top.
• Carefully remove lids or other coverings from microwaved food to prevent steam burns.
• Keep children and pets away from the kitchen area when someone is cooking.
• Make sure all matches and lighters are stored out of children's reach.
• Use travel mugs with a tight lid for coffee, tea and other hot beverages.

Gutters should be kept free of plant material, dirt and debris at all times to allow water to travel freely to the downspouts and splash guards. How often you will have to remove debris to keep the channel open depends on nearby vegetation, including trees, and the time of year. Some gutters may only need attention once or twice a year while others require it more frequently.

The purpose of gutters, downspouts and splashguards is to direct water away from the exterior of the home, preventing damage to walls, foundations and landscape materials. All parts of this system should be maintained in good condition to protect the exterior of the home. That means checking for damage or leaks along the gutters. Leaks are most common at seams, elbows and corners.

Inspecting and cleaning gutters will probably require the use of a ladder. As a general rule, an extension ladder should always extend at least three feet above whatever the top of the ladder is braced against (usually the roof of the house). The bottom of the ladder should be moved one foot away from the structure for every four feet of vertical height necessary.  It is important to read the manufacturer's directions prior to use for other ladder safety information. Inspect the ladder itself prior to use to ensure it is in good condition before climbing. Never climb a ladder if health and safety concerns are an issue.

Gutters, downspouts and splash guards are just a few of the hundreds components of a home inspected by National Property Inspections. A general property inspection gives you information on the condition of all major home systems to help you plan for future maintenance and care.

It's the small things that count, especially when creating an accessible home and one that can be lived in for all ages. When it comes to universal design and "age in place" housing features, there are many things to take into account. The lighting in your home is an important step of this process, according to AARP. Completing the things on the list below, with regard to lighting, can make your home easy to use for years to come. If some of the following are not familiar to you, take a second look at the lighting aspects of your home design.

• Make full use of natural light by opening curtains and shades.
• Place reading chairs near a window.
• Make sure windows are clean.
• Add more incandescent lights to your home.
• Use the highest wattage bulbs allowed for each light fixture.
• Make sure all stairways have plenty of light, and a light switch is located at the top and bottom of every staircase.
• Check to see that indoor and outdoor light fixtures are easy to clean and clean them often.
• Outdoor walkways should be well lit. Have outside lights that turn on automatically.