BIGGEST EYESORES ON THE BLOCK TRANSFORM WITH
A BEAUTIFUL NEW LOOK AND A BOOST OF CURB APPEAL
Therma-Tru® Uncovers America’s Ugliest Doors in Iowa and Texas
MAUMEE, OHIO, (October 10, 2007) ― Rarely does being “ugly” pay off, but for two lucky homeowners it has. Following a nationwide search for America’s ugliest doors, Therma-Tru® Doors is pleased to announce that it has uncovered two of the country’s biggest entryway eyesores.
For the third year in a row, Therma-Tru Doors invited homeowners to submit a photo of their entry or patio door and a brief essay declaring why they believe their door is the Ugliest Door in America. Judges sifted through more than 200 entries, but in the end it was a warped wood door that hardly held on to its hinges and a drab double door with mismatched hardware that proved to be the ugliest. The door to Merle and Marsha Hall’s (Granger, Iowa) craftsman-style home was named the grand prize winner while Ed and Janis Boulware’s (Montgomery, Texas) faded double doors received the runner-up prize.
“There were a lot of sick-looking doors in need of a great door doctor,” says HGTV host and designer Krista Watterworth. “But the Hall’s door needed a miracle cure. This door’s cough could be heard across the continent! And, the runner-up door delivers a double-dose of inefficiency which is never welcome, especially in the Texas heat.”
Watterworth is among the six expert judges who have an eye on the home improvement industry. The judges include Morris Carey and James Carey of the “On the House” radio show; trade magazine editor Chaya Chang; Kevin Gundry of Custom Exteriors; and Carolyn Weber, senior building editor of
Home magazine.
The winners received Therma-Tru entry door systems worth approximately $3,500 to $5,000 and the before and after photos of their door makeovers are posted online at
www.myuglydoor.com.
Charming 1929 Home Gets Welcoming New Entry
Merle and Marsha Hall love their charming 1929 craftsman-style home, but they weren’t feeling the love for their entry door. They’ve updated nearly every room in their 78-year-old home, but the front door had always evaded them until they learned their door was the grand prize winner of Therma-Tru’s Ugliest Door in America Contest.
"Our new front door is beautiful, we couldn’t be happier,” says Marsha Hall. “We especially like how much it has improved the curb appeal of our entire house. It complements the architectural style and truly dresses up the entrance to our home. And, with winter right around the corner, the improved energy efficiency of the fiberglass door will help reduce our heating bills. We were surprised to learn that fiberglass offers five times the insulation of our previous wood door.”
| |
 |
 |
|
| |
Before |
After |
|
The Halls received Therma-Tru’s Classic-Craft® American Style fiberglass door system with AccuGrain™ Technology, which combines the look of high-grade wood with all of the benefits and durability of fiberglass. The door has authentic Craftsman detailing to match the architectural style of the Hall’s home including Homeward™ decorative glass doorlites and a dentil shelf.
Drab Doors Replaced With Lively New Look
Runners-up Ed and Janis Boulware enjoy the Texas sun, but not when it was pouring through the cracks of their entry doors. The hot Texas summers warped, split and eroded the Boulware’s wood doors. In fact, the doors were so ugly and inefficient that the couple could feel the heat coming through the cracks all year round. Now, inefficiency will no longer be an issue with their new Therma-Tru fiberglass entry door system.
“The heat from the morning sun no longer comes through the door,” says Janis Boulware. “The outside of the door gets hot but inside we stay cool and comfortable. The new doors are so attractive that many of our neighbors have already stopped by to comment on the great new doors. Finally, they have the courage to tell us how horrible they thought the old doors looked.”
| |
 |
 |
|
| |
Before |
After |
|
Therma-Tru Doors installed double Classic-Craft® Rustic™ Collection doors with new Augustine™ decorative glass turning the Boulware’s drab and inefficient entry into a neighborhood showpiece and the talk of the town. Because the door system is constructed out of fiberglass it won’t warp or rot like their previous wood doors, and it is ENERGY STAR compliant, providing excellent thermal protection.
“We received double the number of entries this year and there were a lot of ugly contenders,” says Sara Theis, senior public relations manager for Therma-Tru Doors. “In the end, it is so exciting to announce the winners and to finally see the dramatic transformations. The Hall’s and Boulware’s new doors will not only impact the curb appeal and energy efficiency of their homes, but will also add value.”
In fact, recent research by Therma-Tru and TNS found that replacing an old entry door with a new fiberglass entry system increases the perceived value of a home by as much as $24,000 ― up to six percent of the home’s value.
Homeowners who believe their entry or patio door is the next ugliest door in America can visit
www.myuglydoor.com for information on the 4th Annual Ugliest Door in America Contest. The contest will launch in February 2008.
About Therma-Tru
Therma-Tru Doors is the nation’s leading manufacturer and most preferred brand of fiberglass and steel exterior door systems. Founded in 1962, Therma-Tru pioneered the fiberglass entry door industry, and today offers a complete portfolio of entry and patio door system solutions, including decorative glass doorlites, sidelites and transoms, and door components. Therma-Tru, headquartered in Maumee, Ohio, is part of leading consumer brands company Fortune Brands Inc. (NYSE: FO). For more information on Therma-Tru Doors, visit www.thermatru.com or call (800) 537-8827.
CONTACT: Therma-Tru, Sara Theis, 419-891-7400 ext. 7426.