ARTER & HADDEN LLP
                  1717 Main Street, Suite 4100
                      Dallas, Texas  75201
                       Tel:  214.761.2100
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                         April 10, 2000




Board of Directors
Temtex Industries, Inc.
5400 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1375
Dallas, Texas  75240

          Re:  Temtex Industries, Inc.
               Registration Statement on Form S-8
               1999 Omnibus Securities Plan
               -----------------------------------
Gentlemen:

     We have acted as counsel to Temtex Industries, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the
preparation and filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-8
(the "Registration Statement") to be filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on or about April 10, 2000, under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"),
relating to 175,000 shares of the $.20 par value common stock
(the "Common Stock") of the Company that will be issued on the
exercise of stock options (collectively, the "Options") granted
or that may be granted under the 1999 Omnibus Securities Plan of
Temtex Industries, Inc. (the "Plan").

     You have requested the opinion of this firm with respect to
certain legal aspects of the Registration Statement. In
connection therewith, we have examined and relied upon the
original, or copies identified to our satisfaction, of (1) the
Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws of the Company; (2)
minutes and records of the corporate proceedings of the Company
with respect to the establishment and approval of the Plan, the
granting of the Options under the Plan, the issuance of shares of
Common Stock pursuant to the Plan and related matters; (3) the
Registration Statement and exhibits thereto, including the Plan
and the form of stock option agreement under the Plan, each
listed as exhibits to the Registration Statement; and (4) such
other documents and instruments as we have deemed necessary for
the expression of the opinions herein contained. In making the
foregoing examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of all
signatures and the authenticity of all documents submitted to us
as originals, and the conformity to original documents of all
documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies. As
to various questions of fact material to this opinion, and as to
the content and form of the Certificate



<PAGE>

Board of Directors - Temtex Industries, Inc.
April 10, 2000'
Page 2


of Incorporation, the Bylaws, minutes, records, resolutions and
other documents or writings of the Company, we have relied, to
the extent we deem reasonably appropriate, upon representations
or certificates of officers or directors of the Company and upon
documents, records and instruments furnished to us by the
Company, without independent check or verification of their
accuracy.

     Based upon our examination, consideration of, and reliance
on the documents and other matters described above, and subject
to the comments and exceptions noted below, we are of the opinion
that, assuming (i) the outstanding Options were duly granted and
the Options to be granted in the future will be duly granted in
accordance with the terms of the Plan, (ii) the Company maintains
an adequate number of authorized but unissued shares and/or
treasury shares of Common Stock available for issuance to those
persons who exercise Options granted under the Plan, (iii) the
exercise of Options are in accordance with the provisions thereof
and in accordance with the provisions of the Plan, and (iv) the
consideration for the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the
exercise of the Options is actually received by the Company as
provided in the particular Option in accordance with the terms of
the Plan, and such consideration exceeds the par value of such
shares, then the shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to the
exercise of the Options will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.

     We bring to your attention the fact that this legal opinion
is an expression of professional judgment and not a guaranty of
result. This opinion is rendered as of the date hereof, and we
undertake no, and hereby disclaim any, obligation to advise you
of any changes in or new developments that might affect any
matters or opinions set forth herein.

     This opinion is limited in all respects to the Delaware
General Corporation Law on the date hereof.

     We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as
Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to references to
our firm included in or made a part of the Registration
Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we come
within the category of person whose consent is required under
Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder. This opinion
may not be relied upon by any person other than the addressee
identified above.


                              Respectfully submitted,

                                /s/ Arter & Hadden LLP

                              ARTER & HADDEN LLP