NORTEK SELLS TREATED WOOD SUBSIDIARY

PROVIDENCE, RI, April 3, 2002 - Nortek, Inc. (NYSE:NTK) a leading international designer, manufacturer and marketer of building products, today announced that its Ply Gem Industries, Inc. subsidiary has sold the stock of its Hoover Treated Wood Products, Inc. subsidiary to the Alpha Private Equity Group and Management.

Hoover Treated Wood Products, headquartered in Thomson, Georgia, is a leading global supplier of fire retardant treated wood and a full-line supplier of pressure treated wood. Brand names, which are primarily sold in the U.S., Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom, include Pyro-Guard® and Exterior Fire-X®. Proceeds from the sale are approximately $20 million, a portion of which will be used to repay indebtedness. In announcing the sale, Richard L. Bready, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "While Hoover Treated Wood Products is a strong player in the markets it serves, it is not a strategic fit with our key operating groups. The sale of this asset is consistent with Nortek's commitment to continually review and strengthen its core businesses."

For 2001 Hoover had unaudited net sales of $68.2 million.

Nortek currently markets its products worldwide through 29 operating companies in three groups: Residential Building Products, Air Conditioning and Heating Products, and Windows, Doors and Siding. The Company holds worldwide market leadership positions in kitchen range hoods and bath fans, and is the number one North American provider of residential indoor air quality products, custom-designed commercial HVAC systems and HVAC for manufactured housing.

Nortek is a leading international manufacturer and distributor of high-quality, competitively priced building, remodeling and indoor environmental control products for the residential and commercial markets. The Company offers a broad array of products for improving the environments where people live and work. Its products include range hoods and other spot ventilation products; heating and air conditioning systems; vinyl products, including windows and doors, siding, decking, fencing and accessories; indoor air quality systems; and specialty electronic products.

*As used herein, the term "Nortek" refers to Nortek, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise. This term is used for convenience only and is not intended as a precise description of any of the separate corporations, each of which manages its own affairs.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on the Company's current plans and expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual future activities and results of operations to be materially different from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Important factors impacting such forward-looking statements include the availability and cost of raw materials and purchased components, the level of construction and remodeling activity, changes in general economic conditions, the rate of sales growth, and product liability claims. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. For further information, please refer to the Company's reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.