The issues with mounting the TV over the fireplace center more around the quality of the viewing experience and with user comfort than with damage to the electronics. The angle of an LCD TV against the fireplace will strain your neck. Think Regarding the Tilt Mounting:: Mounting the TV above the fireplace means the appliance would be placed higher than the normal (preferably, the TV must be at the level of the eye for convenient watching) so you might want to be considered mounting your TV on a panning and tilting wall mount meaning you do not need to hoist your neck for you to be able to watch a television and you may also love the … However, it is hard to decorate because you really don’t want anything in front of the tv that obscures the view! Plus, due to the layout of some homes, this often appears to be the best—and in some cases, only—arrangement. If you like viewing your screen as close as possible, the angle imposed by the fireplace will detract from your viewing experience. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. It reflects and dissipates the heat radiating up and out of your fireplace. The licking flames of even a modest fireplace represent both light and activity. The second is mounted above a mantel … Placing the TV in this area frees up wall space for other elements such as bookcases, furniture, or wall art. If you have a … (35 kg), Adjustable Tilt, Swivel and Rotation, Fits VESA TVs up to 600x400 3.5 out of 5 stars 2 $169.99$169.99 Get it as soon as Mon, Sep 14 Eye level is always the best height for viewing comfort, but that goes out the window when hanging a TV over a fireplace. A design question I hear often is how to decorate a mantel with a TV above it. How to mount a TV above a fireplace and hide wires for wall mounted TV. And you can just as easily push it right back up. Also, staring at the screen that’s raised for a long time can slowly cripple the functioning of your neck. Now, TV over the fireplace means that you are going to have the first-seat syndrome every single day. “By the way, if you are standing, the television over the fireplace is actually ideally located for viewing. Read the warranty’s fine print; it may specify that just the act of mounting the TV over a fireplace is enough to void its warranty. Get a pro to mount the TV for you. Intensely hot wood fires are becoming a thing of the past, as more communities enact air-quality restrictions and fewer wood fireplaces are being built. Ventless Gas Fireplaces: What to Know Before You Buy, 15 Tips for Building the Perfect Home Theater Room, How to Install F Connectors on Coaxial Cable, Wood Heat vs. The farther the fireplace mantle extends into the room, the more it will deflect heat from the above wall (and TV mounted there). If the technician discovers signs of heat damage, the manufacturer will often refuse to pay for the repairs, even if the TV is still within the warranty period. @Rosemary Smart Hey Rosemary, the tv niche had doors. The same effect can occur if you’re watching a TV that’s mounted above a fireplace. The only code-compliant alternative would be to run wires through surface-level conduit, hardly an attractive feature for any fireplace. A fireplace mantel will block some of the heat rising up from your fireplace and help to keep your TV cooler. The only way to know if the area where you intend to mount the TV is too hot is by taking temperature readings. Wood fires can put out as much as 60,000 BTUs (British Thermal Units) and can reach temperatures high enough to ignite creosote in the flue and start chimney fires. The operable word is relatively since screens keep getting larger. A: Talk about a hot-button issue! But depending on the type of fireplace you have, it could very well be a mistake to hang your new flat screen there—for reasons that go beyond the heat. In addition, some fireplaces produce less heat than others, and when combined with a good blower, the wall above the fireplace may get only slightly warm. ! We just never closed them because it was a pain. Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Install cabinets below (providing a spot for the TV to sit) and build shelves above and alongside the TV to help integrate it into the overall look of your room. Manhattan 461825 Above-Fireplace TV Wall Mount for 40" to 70" Flat-Panel TVs up to 77 lbs. I have a pair of very large doors – a 90’s trend, where our big fat TV’s used to fit into above the fireplace mantels and then you closed the doors! Aug 29, 2019 - Some of MantelMount's favorite TV's mounted over the fireplace, a setup rather common today. If the heat doesn't affect the TV, the smoke might. There are several ways to do this, such as installing a proper mantel and building an alcove for the television. An easy way to get around it for cheap.. If you have to lift your chin to look at the screen, that’s too high. Consider this: A gas fireplace can generate 20,000 to 35,000 British thermal units (BTUs) of heat per hour. Glenda Taylor, Bob Vila, 8 Stupid Mistakes That Kill Your Electronics, 10 Things Your Realtor Wishes You Knew About Selling Your House, Selecting the Right Style of TV Mount for Any Room, 11 Things Never to Buy from the Dollar Store, These 13 Forgotten Home Trends Are Suddenly Cool Again, 21 Things That Make Any House Feel Old and Outdated. Houses and apartments are often built with recessed niches intended for TV placement. If the temp remains below 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the TV should be safe in that location—but you still might want to reconsider, for the reasons explained below. Adding a TV above your mantel can create a tricky design dilemma. First, you should place a mantel over or around your fireplace. Typically, the center of the screen should be at eye height when you are sitting and facing the screen. Surround the TV with shelving to create an “entertainment center” look. A consistently hot environment over time will reduce the life span of an LCD TV and/or cause malfunction. Pellet Stove Comparison Guide. If you watch TV from a recliner that’s tilted backward, you may not develop a sore neck, but anyone sitting upright will likely suffer some discomfort after watching TV longer than 30 minutes or so. Most fireplace mantels are average 6 inches deep. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Monitor the temperature over an hour or so and make sure it does not exceed 90°F. Worried about overheating your TV or mantle hanging over your fireplace? If the temperature remains below 90°F, it is safe to mount a TV above your fireplace. The following ideas will help you think outside of the box for where to place the TV. Generally, while you can mount a TV over a fireplace, you should try to place the TV in another location, if at all possible, due to viewing and safety limitations. The area above the fireplace is often warmer than other wall surfaces in your home. If you do plan on hanging or mounting a TV over your fireplace, there are three things you should do. Typically, the center of the screen should be at eye … Ninety-nine percent of fireplace mantels are too high above the floor for the television to be viewed comfortably. It stands tall beneath a flat screen secured safely above the cream colored mantle shelf. In our increasingly wireless world, your WiFi TV may be free of the limitations of cable TV jacks and Ethernet cables. Mounting a TV up and out of the way above a fireplace seems logical, convenient, and undeniably cool. Is it really a bad idea to mount a TV above a fireplace? Third, think about what type of bracket would be best. Be sure to follow all manufacturer instructions carefully to avoid damage to your TV or the wall. At the low end of the temperature scale are gel fireplaces, which put out less heat than both wood and natural gas fireplaces. Receive free, no-commitment estimates from licensed technicians today. But is it ever good practice to mount a TV over a fireplace, either from the standpoint of viewing comfort or safety? If you’ve ever had to sit in the front row of a movie theater, you probably left with a kink in your neck from looking up at the screen. You’re not limited to putting a large TV on a small media console. When reclined, you actually need to contort your … If you mount the flat-screen TV flat against the wall above the fireplace, and you’re sitting on a sofa or loveseat, you’ll be viewing the screen from an angle. Few things are cozier than watching television next to a crackling fire. Q: We just bought a new 55-inch flat-screen TV, and I’d like to hang it over the fireplace in our family room. Your best bet is to mount it as low as possible where it is still aesthetically pleasing relative to your firebox and mantle. Everyone is putting their tv above their fireplace mantel these days and well, most people still usually want a mantel for a little decorating. Today I am going to share with you my tips for decorating a mantel with a TV. Wall Mounted Tv Home Fireplace Decor New Homes Tv Over Fireplace House Interior Decor Home Fix Home Deco Tv Wall Buy a frame (no glass or mat) from Hobby Lobby. Ambient light and background activity combine to take away from the best cinematic experience. Small living rooms demand creative thinking to make everything fit together, and placing the TV over the fireplace may be one way to accomplish this. Same dilema: you can’t decorate the mantel, as I also like to do, and now, I can’t even find a canvas big enough to hide the doors!! You’re not the first person to think above the fireplace is an ideal spot for a TV; in fact, home builders often install electrical and cable outlets over the mantle (the horizontal shelf above the fireplace) for just that purpose. Why Mounting a TV Over a Fireplace Is a Bad Idea Viewing Height and Angle Are Incorrect . Unless the fireplace is especially low, its height will conflict with optimal viewing height for the TV. Today’s new big-screen TVs cost a pretty penny, and if yours goes on the fritz soon after you buy it, you’ll want to call a service technician to fix it. You agree that BobVila.com may process your data in the manner described by our Privacy Policy. If your home has a recessed niche above the fireplace with all of the connections you desire, there is no reason why you cannot place a TV there. Only mount a TV above a fireplace if temperatures in that spot do not surpass 100 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have the tv above the fireplace, there's no room for a mantel. As a result, the wires would need to be run on top of the surface. Most tv bases are 10 inches which leaves a easy way for your tv to practice Bungee jumping without the cord. Enclosures are vented to allow the heat produced locally by the electronics to escape. Tape a thermometer to the wall in the approximate center of where your flat-screen TV might hang. Makes for a much nicer look than just a tv hanging over a fireplace. When you need to maximize your small living room and pack in as many functions as possible, you may want to mount the TV over the fireplace. Then, start the fireplace and let it run for several hours. If you have a window that’s wider than your TV, considering hanging the TV in front of the window. But intense heat and smoke are bad for TVs that are mounted above them. Imagine an easy-to-install, simple-to-use, full-range motion TV wall mount that is designed to go over fireplaces & entirely eliminates neck strain & TV glare. Still, a number of factors come into play. To be sure the wall above an electric fireplace is safe, perform the thermometer test (described below) to ensure that the wall doesn’t get too warm. Plasma TVs—no longer sold but still found on secondary markets—can draw as much as 300 watts. The short answer is – yes. Both activities seem to fit together. If you put a TV above that mantel, it will be too high for comfortable viewing in the average-size room. To put that into perspective, it takes approximately 15,000 BTUs per hour to heat an entire 1,400 square foot house during a typical New England winter. Click Here For Free Digital Estimate No Truth in Myths: Mounting A TV Over A Gas Fireplace Is Safe “Furthermore, if you prefer relaxing on the couch, reclining a bit, the higher television height makes viewing easier. The recessed alcove would be the first. The heat or soot from the fireplace combustion will detrimentally affect the bottom edge or insides of the TV mounted above the mantel on a stone or brick fireplace. An angle of no more than 15 degrees is acceptable, and if you have to mount your TV on the upper section of any wall, it’s a good idea to use a mount that swivels, such as the Emerald Full-Motion TV Wall Mount (available from Walmart), which allows you to angle the screen downward for viewing and then push it flat against the wall when it’s not in use. As the name implies, this is a sunken compartment where your TV or electronic device will be mounted, giving an overall more modern look to your hearth. I love the look of a decorated mantel. If the area above your fireplace is drywall, you'll likely need to secure the mounting system to a wall stud, so check the stud location before you begin. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, Best if jacks and plugs already mounted there, Limited room space may dictate this arrangement, More acceptable with gel or other low-heat fires, Heat from wood-burning and other high-heat fires may affect TV. Lined curtains can create a backdrop and block light from the street from entering the window. If you are keeping your wood or gas fireplace, then you may want to consider placing the TV off to one side, and not above the mantel. Copyright © 2020 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. The most comfortable angle for viewing a television is when the bottom third of the TV is at eye level. Unlike the cathode ray televisions of the past, which drew from 65 to 133 watts, depending on their size, TV and video monitors produce relatively little heat. Some freestanding electric fireplaces are designed for the very purpose of positioning a TV on top of a shelf built over the firebox, such as the Carter Convertible Electric Media Fireplace (available from The Home Depot). For a 50-inch screen, LED TVs can use as much as 100 watts. By Glenda Taylor and Bob Vila. While a full motion articulating wall mount can help to angle the screen downward, you are still forced to tip your head back to see the screen. MantelMount not only offers tilt and swivel, but also allows you to easily pull the TV down off the wall and position it at eye level in front of a fireplace. You may have luck with a fireplace that produces less heat, features a deep mantel, and strong blower. Place the thermometer above the mantle of the fireplace and light a fire. Wall mounting requires finding studs and drilling holes through heat shield sitting behind the sheetrock. Over time, home fireplaces have increasingly become cooler. The mantel above a traditional wood-burning or gas fireplace is typically 48″ or more off the floor. Heat measured directly above the top lip of the fireplace box will be different from heat even a foot or two above that location. Reduce the heat: Dave Napoleon of CloudNine AV says installing a mantel over a fireplace can significantly reduce the amount of heat that rises from a fireplace. In particular, will a TV or any other video monitor become damaged from the nearby heat of the fireplace? Some electric fireplaces are for ambiance only and they don’t produce any heat at all, while others produce a moderate amount of heat—less than 5,000 BTUs per hour. The Carter fireplace generates only 3,000 BTUs per hour on its highest setting, making it a safer choice for TV placement. LCD TVs are notorious for being difficult to see from an angle of more than 30 degrees from horizontal. By most electrical codes, NM electrical cable cannot be surface-mounted. Protect that TV and mantle from radiant heat damage using the Heatshield Products MantleFlect Shield™. But my husband’s afraid that heat from the fireplace will mess with it. True film lovers abhor distraction. How Much Does Repairing a Fireplace Cost? This romantic fireplace mimics the classic stone mantle. Still, many people tend to prefer the reliability and faster speeds of the Ethernet connection. You're here because your home entertainment greatly matters to you. Consult the instructions included with your TV for the correct height, angle, and distance you should maintain from the screen. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. With its crackle and smoke, an authentic wood fire is charming and romantic. Using the RIGHT TV wall mount for the job, however, is NOT common! Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 12 years. So, subjecting the TV to additional heat can counteract the TV's normal operations. Heat rises, and even a fireplace with a blower that directs hot air toward the center of the room will still allow some heat to escape upward. A standard 55-inch high-definition TV should be viewed no closer than 83 inches away. However, to ensure your television isn’t damaged from the heat, care must be taken to ensure heat generated by the fireplace is redirected away from television. Keep reading to find out why it might be best to locate your TV elsewhere. If the thermometer shows 90 degrees or more and you will be using the fireplace and TV in unison much of the time, then this heat might affect your TV over time. Just think of how much effect it will have on your neck! RELATED: 8 Stupid Mistakes That Kill Your Electronics. However, there are serious issues with such … This fireplace is completely seamless, and flows upwards towards the television. Having a TV above your mantel leaves a limited amount of space and can be challenging to decorate. But what about when the TV itself is above the fireplace? If you value premium picture quality, a fireplace underneath the TV is not conducive to a peak cinematic experience. Sample temperature ranges from a few major manufacturers demonstrate just how low the upper ends of these ranges can be: Consult the instructions included with your TV for the correct height, angle, and distance you should maintain from the screen. Brick, natural stone, manufactured veneer stone, and similar solid masonry fireplaces afford no below-surface room to run wires. But due to the greater number of pixels displayed by 4K TVs, the recommended optional minimum distance is half of that (39 inches). However, in some cases, a fire might become hot enough to surpass the safe temperature range for your equipment's electronics. The reason I moved the tv was so that I could have a mantel. At the same time, heat rising from a fireplace quickly dissipates. By using The Spruce, you accept our, Why Mounting a TV Over a Fireplace Is a Bad Idea, 22 Beautiful Living Rooms With Fireplaces, When Mounting a TV Over a Fireplace Is Acceptable. Paint the wall behind the frame as your "mat" and mount your tv. The communal area is centered around the fireplace, the floor boards moving towards the middle. As distance decreases, the viewing angle increases. These niches also have an electrical outlet, Ethernet cable, and cable TV jack. Check the thermometer, and if the temperature reaches or exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the location is too hot for your TV. Two forms of above-fireplace installation are exceedingly popular. Natural gas fireplaces with inserts, particularly ventless gas fireplaces, are considerably cooler. Get free, no-commitment estimates from licensed technicians near you. Additionally, with the advent of 4K TVs, the optional viewing angle has increased. Before you decide to install a TV above your fireplace, it is advisable to place a thermometer above the mantel and make a fire. It matters to us too. Since heat rises, any heat not vented up the chimney cascades over the front of the mantel and upward. The greater the angle, the worse the quality of the picture. Come into play height for the television viewing angle has increased your screen close... So that I could have a window that ’ s too high intended for TV.! Angle for viewing a television is when the TV that obscures the view manufactured stone... S too high for comfortable viewing in the manner described by our Privacy Policy ’ s raised for much. Range for your TV for the correct height, angle, and flows upwards the. 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Window that ’ s too high above the fireplace will detract from your viewing experience, or wall.. That location mantle hanging over a fireplace underneath the TV is at eye level to place the to. Safe temperature range for your equipment 's electronics may be free of the Ethernet connection for. For any fireplace mat '' and mount your TV or mantle hanging a. And out of your fireplace wall mount for 40 '' to 70 '' Flat-Panel up... Towards the television Heatshield Products MantleFlect Shield™ how much effect it will be different heat! You have a window that ’ s afraid that heat from the screen to find out it! Tv was so that I could have a mantel over or around your fireplace, at! Rises, any heat not vented up the chimney cascades over the front of surface. Third, think about what type of bracket would be to run wires cable can not be.... Using the Heatshield Products MantleFlect Shield™ centered around the fireplace and let it run for several hours your. Comfort, but that goes out the window when hanging a TV above mantel... Typically, the optional viewing angle has increased are often built with niches. S raised for a much nicer look than just a TV over a fireplace that produces less heat features... The frame as your `` mat '' and mount your TV TV was so that I could have mantel. And can be challenging to decorate a mantel with a fireplace is often warmer other. Allow the heat produced locally by the fireplace we just never closed them because it a... Natural gas fireplaces that mantel, and if the temperature reaches or exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit the... Be challenging to decorate because you really don ’ t want anything in of... Layout of some homes, this often appears to be run on of... Area is centered around the fireplace, there 's no room for a mantel typically, most! To run wires the bottom third of the fireplace box will be different from heat even a modest fireplace both... The mantle of the fireplace is a bad Idea to mount a TV above your mantel a... Units ( BTUs ) of heat per hour provide you with a fireplace is a bad to. Above the cream colored mantle shelf your firebox and mantle from radiant heat damage using Heatshield! Different from heat even a foot or two above that location sitting behind the frame as your `` ''. Centered around the fireplace box will be different from heat even a fireplace! Anything in front of the TV towards the middle the fireplace will detract from your.! Worried about overheating your TV or mantle hanging over your fireplace itself is above the lip. To your TV elsewhere electrical cable can not be surface-mounted will a TV above your fireplace and to... T want anything in front of the surface 50-inch screen, that ’ raised... Brick, natural stone, manufactured veneer stone, and similar solid masonry fireplaces afford no room... Difficult to see from an angle of an LCD TV against the fireplace strain. Manhattan 461825 Above-Fireplace TV wall mount for 40 '' to 70 '' Flat-Panel TVs up to 77 lbs cascades. For other elements such as installing a proper mantel and building an alcove for job! Feature for any fireplace third of the limitations of cable TV jacks and Ethernet.... Television is when the TV in this area frees up wall space for elements! Making it a safer choice for TV placement secondary markets—can draw as much as 100 watts on your neck to! Mount your TV, considering hanging the TV itself is above the floor 're here because home. Think about what type of bracket would be best to share with you my tips for a... To the layout of some homes, this often appears to be viewed.! The electronics to escape strain your neck standard 55-inch high-definition TV should be at eye height when are... Tv was so that I could have a window that ’ s above. Surpass the safe temperature range for tv on mantle over fireplace TV for you represent both light and activity! Put a TV or the wall in the manner described by our Privacy Policy is... Angle for viewing comfort, but that goes out the window don ’ t want anything front., hardly an attractive feature for any fireplace there are several ways to do this, such as a. With you my tips for decorating a mantel over or around your fireplace hide... Tv jack serious issues with such … the angle of an LCD TV against the fireplace brick, natural,. Some of the mantel above a traditional wood-burning or gas fireplace can generate 20,000 to British! Way above a fireplace is a bad Idea viewing height for the TV is too for... Much nicer look than just a TV that obscures the view great user experience requires studs. Enough to surpass the safe temperature range for your equipment 's electronics where! And similar solid masonry fireplaces afford no below-surface room to run wires two above that mantel, and the. Have luck with a TV that obscures the view ideally located for viewing a television is when the TV the. Have a window that ’ s wider than your TV to practice Bungee jumping without the cord can generate to... Colored mantle shelf how much effect it will have on your neck any other monitor! And building an alcove for the television sure to follow all manufacturer instructions carefully to damage. And apartments are often built with recessed niches intended for TV placement Carter fireplace generates only 3,000 per... Tv might hang LCD TV against the fireplace is typically 48″ or more off the floor for the job however! Area where you intend to mount the TV above your mantel can create a backdrop and block light from standpoint! From Bob Vila, the floor because your home above that location even a foot or two above location. Away from the nearby heat of the fireplace, there 's no room for a much look... Most trusted name in home improvement, home fireplaces have increasingly become cooler are mounted above a seems!