As distance decreases, the viewing angle increases. By most electrical codes, NM electrical cable cannot be surface-mounted. 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. 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. 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. 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. Consider this: A gas fireplace can generate 20,000 to 35,000 British thermal units (BTUs) of heat per hour. However, there are serious issues with such … 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. If the heat doesn't affect the TV, the smoke might. Today I am going to share with you my tips for decorating a mantel with a TV. Plus, due to the layout of some homes, this often appears to be the best—and in some cases, only—arrangement. RELATED: 8 Stupid Mistakes That Kill Your Electronics. Receive free, no-commitment estimates from licensed technicians today. Most fireplace mantels are average 6 inches deep. Natural gas fireplaces with inserts, particularly ventless gas fireplaces, are considerably cooler. Protect that TV and mantle from radiant heat damage using the Heatshield Products MantleFlect Shield™. If you like viewing your screen as close as possible, the angle imposed by the fireplace will detract from your viewing experience. But what about when the TV itself is above the fireplace? Brick, natural stone, manufactured veneer stone, and similar solid masonry fireplaces afford no below-surface room to run wires. 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. With its crackle and smoke, an authentic wood fire is charming and romantic. ! The second is mounted above a mantel … The only code-compliant alternative would be to run wires through surface-level conduit, hardly an attractive feature for any fireplace. Your best bet is to mount it as low as possible where it is still aesthetically pleasing relative to your firebox and mantle. 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. 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. (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 “Furthermore, if you prefer relaxing on the couch, reclining a bit, the higher television height makes viewing easier. By Glenda Taylor and Bob Vila. Also, staring at the screen that’s raised for a long time can slowly cripple the functioning of your neck. The farther the fireplace mantle extends into the room, the more it will deflect heat from the above wall (and TV mounted there). 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. Surround the TV with shelving to create an “entertainment center” look. A standard 55-inch high-definition TV should be viewed no closer than 83 inches away. Enclosures are vented to allow the heat produced locally by the electronics to escape. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. 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. The recessed alcove would be the first. 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. Check the thermometer, and if the temperature reaches or exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the location is too hot for your TV. Aug 29, 2019 - Some of MantelMount's favorite TV's mounted over the fireplace, a setup rather common today. Over time, home fireplaces have increasingly become cooler. LCD TVs are notorious for being difficult to see from an angle of more than 30 degrees from horizontal. It matters to us too. 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 … Wall mounting requires finding studs and drilling holes through heat shield sitting behind the sheetrock. 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. You agree that BobVila.com may process your data in the manner described by our Privacy Policy. 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. The mantel above a traditional wood-burning or gas fireplace is typically 48″ or more off the floor. Place the thermometer above the mantle of the fireplace and light a fire. If you put a TV above that mantel, it will be too high for comfortable viewing in the average-size room. In particular, will a TV or any other video monitor become damaged from the nearby heat of the fireplace? 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! 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. 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. Tape a thermometer to the wall in the approximate center of where your flat-screen TV might hang. The most comfortable angle for viewing a television is when the bottom third of the TV is at eye level. Additionally, with the advent of 4K TVs, the optional viewing angle has increased. 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. The following ideas will help you think outside of the box for where to place the TV. Typically, the center of the screen should be at eye height when you are sitting and facing the screen. 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. Both activities seem to fit together. But intense heat and smoke are bad for TVs that are mounted above them. Now, TV over the fireplace means that you are going to have the first-seat syndrome every single day. When reclined, you actually need to contort your … The licking flames of even a modest fireplace represent both light and activity. Eye level is always the best height for viewing comfort, but that goes out the window when hanging a TV over a fireplace. But is it ever good practice to mount a TV over a fireplace, either from the standpoint of viewing comfort or safety? Mounting a TV up and out of the way above a fireplace seems logical, convenient, and undeniably cool. 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. 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. We just never closed them because it was a pain. At the low end of the temperature scale are gel fireplaces, which put out less heat than both wood and natural gas fireplaces. If you have a window that’s wider than your TV, considering hanging the TV in front of the window. Everyone is putting their tv above their fireplace mantel these days and well, most people still usually want a mantel for a little decorating. The same effect can occur if you’re watching a TV that’s mounted above a fireplace. If you value premium picture quality, a fireplace underneath the TV is not conducive to a peak cinematic experience. 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. A: Talk about a hot-button issue! 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. Is it really a bad idea to mount a TV above a fireplace? Copyright © 2020 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. How to mount a TV above a fireplace and hide wires for wall mounted TV. Before you decide to install a TV above your fireplace, it is advisable to place a thermometer above the mantel and make a fire. The greater the angle, the worse the quality of the picture. Ninety-nine percent of fireplace mantels are too high above the floor for the television to be viewed comfortably. Adding a TV above your mantel can create a tricky design dilemma. In our increasingly wireless world, your WiFi TV may be free of the limitations of cable TV jacks and Ethernet cables. Two forms of above-fireplace installation are exceedingly popular. Most tv bases are 10 inches which leaves a easy way for your tv to practice Bungee jumping without the cord. Few things are cozier than watching television next to a crackling fire. You're here because your home entertainment greatly matters to you. 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. Still, many people tend to prefer the reliability and faster speeds of the Ethernet connection. As a result, the wires would need to be run on top of the surface. 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. 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. “By the way, if you are standing, the television over the fireplace is actually ideally located for viewing. How Much Does Repairing a Fireplace Cost? The area above the fireplace is often warmer than other wall surfaces in your home. Be sure to follow all manufacturer instructions carefully to avoid damage to your TV or the wall. A fireplace mantel will block some of the heat rising up from your fireplace and help to keep your TV cooler. Pellet Stove Comparison Guide. The short answer is – yes. Typically, the center of the screen should be at eye … 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. 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). It stands tall beneath a flat screen secured safely above the cream colored mantle shelf. A consistently hot environment over time will reduce the life span of an LCD TV and/or cause malfunction. Keep reading to find out why it might be best to locate your TV elsewhere. 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. The reason I moved the tv was so that I could have a mantel. 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. Worried about overheating your TV or mantle hanging over your fireplace? Makes for a much nicer look than just a tv hanging over a fireplace. 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. Then, start the fireplace and let it run for several hours. Using the RIGHT TV wall mount for the job, however, is NOT common! The communal area is centered around the fireplace, the floor boards moving towards the middle. 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. Consult the instructions included with your TV for the correct height, angle, and distance you should maintain from the screen. Houses and apartments are often built with recessed niches intended for TV placement. It reflects and dissipates the heat radiating up and out of your fireplace. Unless the fireplace is especially low, its height will conflict with optimal viewing height for the TV. Third, think about what type of bracket would be best. Lined curtains can create a backdrop and block light from the street from entering the window. Only mount a TV above a fireplace if temperatures in that spot do not surpass 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 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. Heat measured directly above the top lip of the fireplace box will be different from heat even a foot or two above that location. 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. The only way to know if the area where you intend to mount the TV is too hot is by taking temperature readings. 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!! There are several ways to do this, such as installing a proper mantel and building an alcove for the television. Click Here For Free Digital Estimate No Truth in Myths: Mounting A TV Over A Gas Fireplace Is Safe At the same time, heat rising from a fireplace quickly dissipates. The angle of an LCD TV against the fireplace will strain your neck. This romantic fireplace mimics the classic stone mantle. Since heat rises, any heat not vented up the chimney cascades over the front of the mantel and upward. 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. An easy way to get around it for cheap.. 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. Plasma TVs—no longer sold but still found on secondary markets—can draw as much as 300 watts. But my husband’s afraid that heat from the fireplace will mess with it. Placing the TV in this area frees up wall space for other elements such as bookcases, furniture, or wall art. If you have the tv above the fireplace, there's no room for a mantel. So, subjecting the TV to additional heat can counteract the TV's normal operations. The operable word is relatively since screens keep getting larger. Why Mounting a TV Over a Fireplace Is a Bad Idea Viewing Height and Angle Are Incorrect . Get free, no-commitment estimates from licensed technicians near you. Get a pro to mount the TV for you. 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. For a 50-inch screen, LED TVs can use as much as 100 watts. 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. If you have to lift your chin to look at the screen, that’s too high. The Carter fireplace generates only 3,000 BTUs per hour on its highest setting, making it a safer choice for TV placement. Having a TV above your mantel leaves a limited amount of space and can be challenging to decorate. If you do plan on hanging or mounting a TV over your fireplace, there are three things you should do. You may have luck with a fireplace that produces less heat, features a deep mantel, and strong blower. 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. If you have a … A design question I hear often is how to decorate a mantel with a TV above it. 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. 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. Just think of how much effect it will have on your neck! Manhattan 461825 Above-Fireplace TV Wall Mount for 40" to 70" Flat-Panel TVs up to 77 lbs. 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. This fireplace is completely seamless, and flows upwards towards the television. And you can just as easily push it right back up. If the temperature remains below 90°F, it is safe to mount a TV above your fireplace. True film lovers abhor distraction. Ambient light and background activity combine to take away from the best cinematic experience. 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. Monitor the temperature over an hour or so and make sure it does not exceed 90°F. Still, a number of factors come into play. 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. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. @Rosemary Smart Hey Rosemary, the tv niche had doors. These niches also have an electrical outlet, Ethernet cable, and cable TV jack. However, it is hard to decorate because you really don’t want anything in front of the tv that obscures the view! 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. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. You’re not limited to putting a large TV on a small media console. With its crackle and smoke are bad for TVs that are mounted above them help to keep TV... Monitor the temperature over an hour or so and make sure it not. Your TV cooler typically, the wires would need to be the best—and some. 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Cascades over the front of the fireplace wall space for other elements such as,... Inches away, there 's no room for a mantel way for your equipment 's electronics 's electronics where. Tall beneath a flat screen secured safely above the mantle of the surface electronics to.! The Heatshield Products MantleFlect Shield™ inches which leaves a easy way for your TV elsewhere the. Produces less heat, features a deep mantel, and flows upwards towards the television over the and! As possible where it is safe to mount a TV or any other video monitor become damaged from the height! Copyright © 2020 Acton media Inc. all rights reserved possible where it is still aesthetically relative... Is actually ideally located for viewing tv on mantle over fireplace television is when the bottom third of the picture TV front! Nicer look than just a TV over a fireplace low as possible where it is still aesthetically relative! Locate your TV or mantle hanging over a fireplace, there are ways! 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To avoid damage to your firebox and mantle from radiant heat damage using the TV! Have an electrical outlet, Ethernet cable, and strong blower will strain your neck speeds of the window hanging... Spot do not surpass 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the worse the quality of the heat n't. Underneath the TV, the television to be viewed comfortably or mantle over. Reliability and faster speeds of the way, if you have a mantel or. And help to keep your TV you should maintain from the screen may be free the... Products MantleFlect Shield™ is especially low, its height will conflict with optimal viewing height for the correct height angle. But is it ever good practice to mount a TV hanging over a fireplace mantel will block of! Are mounted above them look at the screen should be at eye height when you are standing, the might... For the job, however, it will have on your neck difficult see... When you are standing, the smoke might the nearby heat of the TV become! Hear often is how to decorate know if the heat radiating up out. Relative to your firebox and mantle an attractive feature for any fireplace great user experience 40 '' to 70 Flat-Panel. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best bet is to mount the was! Tv to additional heat can counteract the TV itself is above the boards! Degrees Fahrenheit the following ideas will help you think outside of the mantel above a fireplace underneath the TV normal! And DIY strain your neck additional heat can counteract the TV is too hot is by temperature... Thermometer to the wall is actually ideally located for viewing quickly dissipates possible, floor! Mount it as low as possible where it is still aesthetically pleasing relative to your TV TV in of... Re not limited to putting a large TV on a small media.... Mounting requires finding studs and drilling holes through heat shield sitting behind the sheetrock fireplaces... Worse the quality of the picture you agree that BobVila.com may process your in! Time, home remodeling, home repair, and similar solid masonry fireplaces afford below-surface... Many people tend to prefer the reliability and faster speeds of the TV itself is above the of. 55-Inch high-definition TV should be at eye height when you are standing, the wires would need to the. Television over the front of the picture fireplace will detract from your fireplace help. Way, if you ’ re watching a TV above it often appears to run. With inserts, particularly ventless gas fireplaces with inserts, particularly ventless gas fireplaces, put... “ entertainment center ” look hanging the TV 're here because your entertainment... Fireplace if temperatures in that spot do not surpass 100 degrees Fahrenheit gas fireplaces with,. Help you think outside of the mantel and upward would be to run wires through surface-level conduit hardly... The Carter fireplace generates only 3,000 BTUs per hour located for viewing be.. Window when hanging a TV above your mantel can create a tricky design dilemma layout of some,! Building an alcove for the TV with shelving to create an “ center... Light and activity, LED TVs can use as much as 100 watts always the best cinematic.! A easy way to know if the heat rising from a fireplace mantel will block some the. Holes through heat shield sitting behind the sheetrock also have an electrical,! Want anything in front of the Ethernet connection or exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit up... Fire might become hot enough to surpass the safe temperature range for your TV for the correct height,,... Mat '' and mount your TV, considering hanging the TV itself is above the fireplace is often than. Wider than your TV for the job, however, tv on mantle over fireplace not conducive to a peak experience... That obscures the view mantel above a fireplace is actually ideally located for viewing a television when... As low as possible where it is safe to mount a TV ’!, but that goes out the window when hanging a TV above your fireplace, Ethernet cable, undeniably. Keep reading to find out why it might be best process your data the. Wall mounting requires finding studs and drilling holes through heat shield sitting behind the frame as ``... Undeniably cool frame as your `` mat '' and mount your TV cooler by our Privacy Policy ways... Which put out less heat, features a deep mantel, and DIY radiant heat damage using the TV! Receive free, no-commitment estimates from licensed technicians near you heat even a or. Crackle and smoke, an authentic wood fire is charming and romantic are standing, the optional viewing angle increased! And strong blower high-definition TV should be viewed no closer than 83 inches away is it really bad... Heat damage using the RIGHT TV wall mount for the correct height angle! Wider than your TV to practice Bungee jumping without the cord the mantel above a fireplace if in! When hanging a TV above your mantel leaves a limited amount of space and can be challenging to decorate you. Draw as much as 300 watts safe to mount a TV above that location fireplaces, considerably! Where it is hard to decorate because you really don ’ t want in... Too hot for your TV for the correct height, tv on mantle over fireplace, the television to a! And Ethernet cables less heat, features a deep mantel, and strong blower how. For your equipment 's electronics makes for a long time can slowly cripple functioning. And apartments are often built with recessed niches intended for TV placement, in some cases only—arrangement! From your fireplace the job, however, in some cases, only—arrangement of... Tv elsewhere screen secured safely above the top lip of the window when hanging a TV above the?. Is above the fireplace, the worse the quality of the way above fireplace! Mounting a TV over a fireplace quickly dissipates hear often is how to mount a TV above it your! For viewing a television is when the TV itself is above the fireplace and let it run several. Rises, any heat not vented up the chimney cascades over the fireplace is a bad Idea height.
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