Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
                                                              Reg. No. 333-44969

                       Supplement dated September 14, 1998
                                       to
                                OFFER TO EXCHANGE
                                 all outstanding
                    9 7/8% SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2007
                   ($130,000,000 principal amount outstanding)
                                       for
                    9 7/8% SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2007
                                       of
                            DESA INTERNATIONAL, INC.
                              dated August 7, 1998


         The Company  has been  advised  that  Childs and UBS Capital  have been
engaged in  negotiations  to sell  substantially  all of the Holdings  Preferred
Stock,  and certain of the shares of Common Stock and warrants to acquire Common
Stock  of  Holdings,  held by them to  ReliaStar  Financial  Corp.  and  certain
affiliates of PPM America, Inc. (collectively,  the "PPM/ReliaStar Parties"). No
assurance may be given that the purchase of such securities by the PPM/ReliaStar
Parties will  ultimately  be  consummated.  However,  Holdings  expects that, in
connection  with  such  purchases,  it  will  be  required  to  provide  certain
representations  and  warranties to the  PPM/ReliaStar  Parties in the agreement
among the  PPM/ReliaStar  Parties,  Childs  and UBS  Capital  providing  for the
purchase  of  such   securities   (the  "Purchase   Agreement"),   to  agree  to
modifications to the existing Stockholders  Agreement and to agree to enter into
a  "tag-along"  agreement  (the  "Tagalong  Agreement")  for the  benefit of the
PPM/ReliaStar Parties.

         Holdings anticipates that the provisions of the Purchase Agreement will
include  restrictions  on  payments or  distributions  by Holdings to its equity
security  holders and on certain  significant  corporate  actions,  in each case
without the consent of the PPM/ReliaStar  Parties, and to permit representatives
of the  PPM/ReliaStar  Parties  to attend  meetings  of its board of  directors.
Holdings also  anticipates that the Purchase  Agreement will include  provisions
obligating  Holdings to offer to redeem the Holdings  Preferred Stock (or, after
the  issuance  of Exchange  Notes in  exchange  therefor,  the  Exchange  Notes)
following the  occurrence of any Change of Control (as defined in the Indenture)
to the maximum extent then permitted  pursuant to indentures and debt agreements
(including the Indenture) to which the Company and Holdings are then subject.

         Holdings   anticipates  that  the  modifications  to  the  Stockholders
Agreement  will provide,  among other things,  for the inclusion of any Holdings
Common  Stock and  warrants  to acquire  Common  Stock of  Holdings  held by the
PPM/ReliaStar  Parties in the "tagalong,"  "dragalong" and "registration" rights
provided  under the  Stockholders  Agreement  and to provide  the  PPM/ReliaStar
Parties,  as a group,  with  certain  preemptive  rights with  respect to future
issuances of preferred stock of Holdings. Holdings anticipates that the Tagalong
Agreement  will  restrict  the  ability of Childs to  transfer  Common  Stock of
Holdings to third parties unless a simultaneous offer is made to purchase all of
the  Holdings  Preferred  Stock (or,  after the  issuance of  Exchange  Notes in
exchange therefor, the Exchange Notes) then outstanding.