Did You Know? Factory Tours | Home Improvement Center

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Did You Know? - Factory Tours

A/C Testing - Factory Tour (segment #5319) No, this is not an amusement park ride! This is actually a vibration table and that is an air conditioning unit. Did you that manufacturers spend millions of dollars testing their equipment?... Read More >>		Acme Brick Factory (segment #5303) Did you know that man has been building with bricks for over 10,000 years, and in America we use over eight billion bricks a year? Well today, we're going to go look and see how these bricks ar... Read More >>

Affordable Homes with Advanced Technologies (segment #6336) Did you know that every time mortgage rates rise even one fourth of a percent it prevents about 325,000 people from being able to afford a home? That's why looking for ways to build affordable homes t... Read More >>		Allmet - Factory Tour (segment #5337) Did you know that Americans spend over two billion dollars a year on patio covers for their home? Most of which are wood which requires a lot of maintenance. We’re in Mesquite, Texas, and we’re going ... Read More >>

Andersen Windows - Factory Tour (segment #5314) Did you know that Americans will buy over 50 million doors and windows this year and that there are over 6500 window manufacturers in the United States. All these choices are enough to make your head ... Read More >>		Aquariums (segment #6320) Did you know that aquariums can be far more extravagant than a simple glass tanks and a few fish? ... Read More >>

Automated Shades - Lab Tour (segment #5309) This may look like a space age garden hose but did you know this may actually be the light bulb of the future? Well, today we’re going to look at the development of fiber optic lighting and how this m... Read More >>		Blown Glass (segment #6325) Did you know that man has been working with glass for about 4,000 years? At Hickory Street Hot Glass in Dallas Texas, we're going to show you how they take sand and turn it into some great looking art... Read More >>

Bryant Furnaces (segment #6318) Did you know that about 35 cents out of every dollar that you spend on heating is lost up your f... Read More >>		Bulletproof Paneling (segment #6337) Did you know that every year in the United States there are over two million burglaries? Now many of these burglaries end up in attacks which cause injury and even death. That's why a lot of people ar... Read More >>

Bulletproof Paneling (segment #5332) Did you know that they now make wall sheeting materials for the home that can actually withstand the impact of a bullet? Well, today we’re in Waco, Texas, and we’re going to see how bullet-resistant ... Read More >>		Cardinal Glass (segment #6329) Did you know that Americans install over 50 million glass doors and windows in their homes each year? And about half of those glass doors and windows have a low-E coating. ... Read More >>

Cardinal Glass - Factory Tour (segment #5315) Making glass is really a pretty simple recipe. You take sand, limestone and soda ash and mix them all together with some other chemicals and you’ve got this. We’re in Menomonie, Wisconsin, and we’re g... Read More >>		Cement Siding - Factory Tour (segment #5344) Did you know that Americans spend over three billion dollars a year on siding products? Well, we’re all looking for siding that doesn’t warp, crack, buckle or get eaten by termites. The answer really ... Read More >>

Channellock Tools (segment #6346) Pliers have been around in one form or another for hundreds of years, but did you know that the Grandfather of these pliers was actually originally designed to shoe horses. Well today we're in Meadvil... Read More >>		Coated Glass - Factory Tour (segment #5317) Today, we’re going to learn how to take this silver, and apply it to glass to make the low-E coatings that help you save money on your energy bills.... Read More >>

Composite Roof (segment #6343) The Advanced Housing Research Center evaluates and develops technology needed for new and existing housing in which wood or wood-based products are used as building components. Emphasis is on the impr... Read More >>		Concrete Roofing - Factory Tour (segment #5307) It is really tough to beat the natural beauty of a wood shake shingle but did you know that in some parts of the country they’ve actually outlawed wood shakes because of the potential fire danger?... Read More >>

Concrete Stamping - Factory Tour (segment #5306) Did you know that concrete weighs nearly 4,000 pounds per cubic yard, and that this truck can hold nearly 10-cubic yards of concrete? Well, today we’re going to find out how concrete is made and loo... Read More >>		Copper Tubing - Factory Tour (segment #5333) Did you know that this red-hot ingot of copper can be turned into a piece of copper tubing over 6-miles long? Well, today we’re in Fulton, Mississippi and we’re going to show you how copper tubing is ... Read More >>

Custom Furniture (segment #6306) Did you know that a part of a tree often discarded by major furniture manufacturers can be used to make some of the most incredible looking tables and cabinetry that money can buy? Well today I'm at t... Read More >>		Cut Limestone (segment #6324) Did you know that you can take a 180 million year old block of rock like this and turn it into some great looking cut stone work for your home? Well today I'm at Continental Cut Stone in Florence, TX,... Read More >>

Deck Tearout (segment #5328) We're going to tear out this old deck in preparation for a new one. This existing deck is about 20 years old and due to lack of maintenance it's in pretty bad shape. In fact, we've got some real safet... Read More >>		Disaster Testing - Lab Tour (segment #5324) Did you know most of the damage that occurs to homes during hurricanes and tornadoes is actually caused by flying debris? Well, today we’re at the APA engineered wood association in Tacoma, Washington... Read More >>

Dishwasher Factory (segment #4271) Cutting and stamping this single sheet of stainless steel is the first step in a process that, several hours later, results in this, a brand new, state of the art dishwasher for your new house. So how... Read More >>		Doors - Factory Tour (segment #5311) A home’s entryway not only leaves a first impression… it leaves a lasting impression. An impressive entryway can add a distinctive “touch of class” to any home. At the Feather River Door Factory in Ch... Read More >>

DuPont Carpet - Factory Tour (segment #5351) Did you know that Americans install over 14 billion square feet of carpet in homes and businesses each year? Well, today I'm in Dalton, Georgia, the carpet capitol of the world and we're going to sho... Read More >>		Electricity in Remote Areas (segment #5348) This is the eastern shore of Maui in the Hawaiian islands. Did you know that Maui Electric does not provide service to this extremely remote location? But that didn’t stop Helen and Jonathan Starr fro... Read More >>

Empire Fabricators (segment #6302) Granite countertops are becoming popular because of their look, durability, strength and because they are scratch-resistant.... Read More >>		Encapsulated Insulation (segment #6331) Did you know that up to 25% of some building insulation is actually recycled glass? Well insulation's pretty important to us because it helps make our homes more comfortable and a lot more energy effi... Read More >>

Energy Efficiency - Lab Tour (segment #5308) Did you know that 1/4 of all the energy we use here in the United States we consume in our homes? Well, today we're here at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory new Oakland, California, where we are going to ... Read More >>		Fashion Glass - Factory Tour (segment #5321) This elegant, Victorian style bathroom owes a lot of its charm to this splendid antique looking leaded and beveled glass window. But did you know this window isn't an antique at all? In fact, it’s bra... Read More >>

Fireplace Factory Tour (segment #5343) Two thirds of all the new homes built in America have fireplaces and half of those are natural gas. Well, today I'm at the superior fireplace company in Linwood, California, and we’re going to show yo... Read More >>		Fluorescent Lighting (segment #6339) Did you know that fluorescent lights use a fourth of the energy of standard lights? And they last almost ten times as long. Well today we're at Philips Lighting in Salina, Kansas and we're gonna show ... Read More >>

Forest Products Test Lab (segment #6342) Did you know that every year in the United States over three million acres of forests get destroyed by fire - in large part because these smaller trees never really get thinned out? That's because the... Read More >>		Glass Blowing - Factory Tour (segment #5304) Today we’re going to a hot glass factory, and we’re going to see how a decorative glass art is made. It starts with some silica and line, then the glowing bulb of molten sand is heated to more than 20... Read More >>

Global Solar Energy (segment #6341) Did you know that the process for converting the sun's energy into electricity has gotten so advanced recently that some manufacturers are actually incorporating photovoltaic cells into shingles? ... Read More >>		Glu-Lams (segment #6311) Here's a way to get a wooden support or beam even when it needs to be larger than the size of a tr... Read More >>

Green Building Program (segment #5346) Today, we’re in Austin, Texas, and we’re going to take a look at a green building program that teaches builders how to use recycled materials and use them for building products on your new house.... Read More >>		Habitat for Humanity and Special Olympics (segment #7301) Last summer in Tucson a group of special people joined together on a very special project - to build a house in just seven days. ... Read More >>

Hand Woodwork (segment #6330) Did you know that it takes over 40 man-hours to create a custom wood chair like this? Well you won't find this in any furniture store and the reason that you won't is because it's handcrafted and cust... Read More >>		Harvesting Trees (segment #6309) Did you know that a tree farming operation like this can harvest over 2,000 trees a day?... Read More >>

Hurricane News (segment #5347) It’s one of the most beautiful places in the world, the Hawaiian Islands. But did you know since 1950 these islands have been hit by 5 major hurricanes that have caused major damage to peoples homes? ... Read More >>		Hurricane Retro-fitting (segment #5349) It's another beautiful day in the Hawaiian Islands. The palm trees are swaying, the ocean is calm, but like many places in the United States, the island of Maui is always under the threat of a hurric... Read More >>

Hurricane Test (segment #6322) Did you know that window manufacturers are making a whole new way of storm-resistant glass?... Read More >>		Hy-Lite Blocks - Factory Tour (segment #5310) This glass block wall may look like it weighs a ton, but did you know it's not glass block at all? It's actually a lightweight acrylic plastic. It's so lightweight in fact, you can use it to make wi... Read More >>

I Joists (segment #6310) Did you know that I-joists are up to 30% stronger and 50% lighter than standard lumber?... Read More >>		Insulated Glass - Factory Tour (segment #5316) Did you know that windows are about the third largest purchase that people will ever make for their home? So before you spend your hard earned money for windows, you should know that the insulating gl... Read More >>

Interior Doors (segment #6350) Supa Doors are the original MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) interior doors. They are manufactured in a patented process that creates one of the strongest, highest quality MDF interior doors on the mar... Read More >>		Joists - Factory Tour (segment #5323) Did you know there’s a new wave of engineered wood products being used homes today? These joists can be up to 35% lighter and 50% stronger than conventional framing materials.... Read More >>

Kohler Design Center (segment #6328) Did you know that the Kohler name is not only known for plumbing fixtures? It's also synonymous with art. Today I'm in Sheboygan, Wisconsin at the John Michael Kohler Art Center and joining me is Ruth... Read More >>		Laminated Glass - Factory Tour (segment #5318) Could your window survive the impact of a two-by-four traveling 35 miles an hour and stay intact? It can if it’s laminated glass. And we’ll see how laminated glass can protect your property and maybe ... Read More >>

Lighting Research Center (segment #5341) Did you know that Americans use over 1-billion light bulbs a year? But it’s not only the type and efficiency of the light bulb that’s important, it’s also how you use them. ... Read More >>		Lightolier - Factory Tour (segment #5342) Today, we're at the Lightolier factory in Falls River, Massachusetts, where we're going to show you how light fixtures are made.... Read More >>

LP Siding (segment #6344) This giant pile of logs will eventually be turned into siding for homes and did you know that every year in America we make enough siding to reach the moon five times? Well today I'm at Louisiana-Paci... Read More >>		Making Cement - Factory Tour (segment #5305) The plant that's in operation today is owned and operated by RMC Lonestar - the world's largest producer of ready-mix concrete, and it uses the most high-tech and environmentally sensitive processes a... Read More >>

Manufactured Homes (segment #6348) Manufactured homes are becoming more popular with consumers. Did you know that Americans buy over 300,000 of these homes each year? Well today I'm in Elizabeth Town, Pennsylvania at Fleetwood Homes an... Read More >>		Manufactured Homes - Factory Tour (segment #5345) Did you know that 35% of all the new homes built in America are manufactured? That means that Americans are buying over one thousand manufactured homes every day. Today we’re in South Texas at Schult ... Read More >>

Marazzi Tile - Factory Tour (segment #5302) We're at the Marazzi Tile Factory near Dallas, Texas and we're going to show you how ceramic tile is made.... Read More >>		MDF Moulding (segment #6305) Did you know that Americans will install over one billion linear feet of molding each month?... Read More >>

Millwork Products (segment #6316) You can use polyurethane foam instead of wood for the trim in your home.... Read More >>		Modular Housing (segment #6347) Americans build over a million and a half homes a year. But did you know that a fourth of those come out of factories. Now this may look like a manufactured home or a half of a double wide, but it's a... Read More >>

Oriented Strand Board (segment #6308) Oriented strand board, or OSB, it's one of the most common materials used in home construction toda... Read More >>		OSB - Factory Tour (segment #5312) OSB is just as strong as plywood, less expensive and environmentally friendly. Well, today we're going to go to Portland, Oregon to Louisiana Pacific’s materials technology center and learn how OSB is... Read More >>

Outdoor Furniture (segment #6327) Did you know that Americans will spend over two billion dollars a year on outdoor furniture? Well today I'm in Wadena, Minnesota at Homecrest Industries and we're gonna show you how they make high qua... Read More >>		Paint - Factory Tour (segment #5338) Did you know that Americans spend more than six billion dollars a year on paint? Well, today we’re in Garland Texas at the country’s largest paint factory and we’re going to show you how paint is made... Read More >>

Pavestone - Factory Tour (segment #5301) Did you know that pre-cast concrete pavers and retaining wall stones is one of the fastest growing segments of the home improvement industry? And for good reason. It's getting harder and harder to fin... Read More >>		Pilkington Glass (segment #6326) Did you know that this glass factory can produce miles and miles of glass every day? The making of glass is really an incredibly fascinating process. Today I'm at Pilkington Glass, in Ottawa, Illinois... Read More >>

Planned P.A.T.H. Homes (segment #6340) Today I'm in Tucson, Arizona at a special community called Civano where they're focusing on new construction technologies that not only make homes more energy efficient, but make them more environment... Read More >>		Plywood - Factory Tour (segment #5326) Have you ever noticed how easily you can split a thin piece of wood along the grain, but it’s almost impossible to pull apart? Did you know they use these same principles in the production of plywood?... Read More >>

Pyramid Safe Room (segment #6338) Did you know that every year in the United States there are over 100 severe storms that cause injury and even death? Most experts agree that the place to go in severe weather is to the interior of a h... Read More >>		Quality Assurance - Lab Tour (segment #5325) Did you know that building codes require wood products to go through a torture test for approval? We’re at the APA engineered wood association in Tacoma, Washington and we’re going to show you how tou... Read More >>

Quikrete (segment #6313) Did you know that you can use bagged concrete to create a variety of projects around your new house?... Read More >>		Reclaimed Lumber - Factory Tour (segment #5322) This may look like an old piece of driftwood but did you know this is actually a piece of re-claimed lumber from a mill that was built over 100-years ago? Well, today we’re in Bellingham, Washington i... Read More >>

Recycled Carpet (segment #6314) Did you know that plastic bottles can be recycled into carpet? Here's how!... Read More >>		ROMEX® - Factory Tour (segment #5334) Did you know that the average home has over 2,000 feet of wire in it? Well today we're in Athens, Georgia, and we're going to show you how electrical building wire is made.... Read More >>

Roofing (segment #6301) Learn more about roofing and shingles from our guest David Barnes of the GAF Shingle Factory.... Read More >>		Safety House (segment #6323) Did you know that the majority of fires that happen in a home start in the kitchen? ... Read More >>

Sawdust Festival (segment #6334) Did you know that over 200,000 people will attend the Laguna Beach Sawdust Festival? Today I'm in sunny southern California at Laguna Beach and joining me is Joanne Burkhardt who is an artist organize... Read More >>		Sawmill - Factory Tour (segment #5327) The trees are selectively harvested and re-planted in an effort to maintain a balance between our need for lumber and nature’s need to provide an ecologically balanced habitat for wildlife. This fores... Read More >>

Skil Drills (segment #5828) You’ve got your trusty battery drill take your battery plug it in. But you forgot to charge that battery from the last project I was on? Well, Skil has come up with a new system........ Read More >>		Spas (segment #6333) Did you know that Americans will buy over 350,000 hot tubs this year? Well today I'm in Vista, California at Dimension One Spas and we're gonna show you how they make hot tubs.... Read More >>

Stained Glass (segment #6332) Did you know that artisans have been working with stained glass for over 700 years? Well today I'm at Aanraku Stained Glass Studios in the bayside community of San Mateo, California, and we're going t... Read More >>		Stained Glass (segment #5335) Did you know it takes a very small investment in tools and materials to make a stained glass project like this? Well, today we’re in Dallas, Texas, and we’re going to show you how stained glass windo... Read More >>

State Farm House (segment #6321) State Farm House... Read More >>		Steel Framing (segment #6349) When you think of using steel in construction, you usually think of commercial structures like this that you see on the side of the road. But more and more builders are taking a serious look at using ... Read More >>

Stickley Furniture (segment #5340) Today, we're at the Stickley Furniture Company, and we're going to show you how they build furniture stronger and better than they did a hundred years ago. ... Read More >>		Stockton PG&E - Factory Tour (segment #5313) We'll be conducting two tests today: an air-duct blaster to determine where leaks may be occurring throughout the ductwork in an air conditioning system and a blower door test to determine what leaks ... Read More >>

Stone Coated Steel Roof (segment #6335) Did you know that Americans will install over 14 million new roofs this year? Well today I'm in Brea, California at Gerard Roofing Technologies and we're gonna show you how they make some awesome roof... Read More >>		Strong Ties - Factory Tour (segment #5320) At the Simpson Strong Tie Laboratory, they use a machine that simulates the destructive force of an earthquake or strong winds. This test help engineers develop stronger and more effective hold down... Read More >>

Testing Siding - Lab Tour (segment #5336) Did you know that some siding manufactures put their products through a series of torture tests before they are approved for use on your house? Well, today I am in Dallas, Texas at Haag Engin... Read More >>		Tornado Shelter (segment #6303) Did you know that over 800 tornados touch down in this country each year?... Read More >>

Toto Kiki Toilets (segment #6315) Did you know that Americans buy over eight and a half million toilets each year? Well, if you haven... Read More >>		Trex - Factory Tour (segment #5330) Did you know that this plastic garbage bag is actually a major component of the composite wood deck? Well, today we’re going to show you how you take plastic bags like this. ... Read More >>

Tubs & Showers (segment #6319) Did you know that you can take scrap metal like this and turn it into plumbing fixtures for your home?... Read More >>		Vinyl Siding (segment #6317) Did you know that Americans install over 5 billion square feet of vinyl siding on their homes each year? ... Read More >>

Vinyl Window Frames - Factory Tour (segment #5329) Did you know that a well-constructed vinyl window frame is extremely strong? It has great impact resistance and can even support the weight of a 200-pound man. Well today, we're in a Pennsboro, West V... Read More >>		Vinyl Windows (segment #6307) Vinyl is the most popular material for window frames. It is durable, strong and it's energy efficie... Read More >>

Wall Mounted Toilet (Geberit ) (segment #7305) If you’ve been considering a new design for your bathroom, consider the Tessera wall mounted toilet by Geberit.... Read More >>		Wallpaper (segment #6304) At Bradbury and Bradbury Art Wallpapers in the picturesque bayside community of Venetia, Califor... Read More >>

Wellborn Cabinets (segment #6312) Here are some great tips to help you find cabinets for your new house. ... Read More >>		Whirlpool Factory Tour (segment #5353) These sheets of plastic are about to become part of one of the most common household appliances in American homes. Can you guess what it is? It's a refrigerator. And we've come to the giant Whirlpo... Read More >>

Whirlpool Ovens - Factory Tour (segment #5352) Did you know that your kitchen range probably started out as a giant wheel of cold rolled steel? Here at this whirlpool electric range factory in Tulsa, Oklahoma, huge semi-trailers carrying rolls of ... Read More >>		Windows (segment #6345) Today's windows are a lot different. When shopping you can buy windows that looks good, offer safety, security and energy-efficiency. Did you know that today's glass can block over 60% of the sun's he... Read More >>