Are you considering mounting your television over your fireplace? Determining the perfect place for your new flat screen can be a challenge. If mounting your TV above your fireplace seems like the best option for your space, it’s important to understand the benefits and drawbacks of this mounting location, as well as the potential safety concerns to ensure that you are happy with your choice. To help you get a better idea of what to do, we’ve created this guide that will walk you through the pros, cons, and safety considerations related to mounting your TV over a fireplace mantel.
Mounting a TV Over the Fireplace: Pros and Cons
While at one time mounting a TV over a fireplace may have seemed like a bad idea, modern technology and new mounting hardware have made it possible to safely mount a television wherever you please. While there are many pros and cons of mounting your TV over a fireplace, and it's important to know the facts before making any decisions. Below is an introduction to the pros, cons, and potential safety concerns of mounting a TV over a fireplace to help you form your own opinion of what will work best in your home.
The Pros
- Increased Space in the Room: One of the top benefits of mounting a TV over a fireplace is that it saves space in the room because it eliminates the need for a TV stand or entertainment center. Just like mounting your television in a corner, this spot helps the room to feel larger and spacious, which is desirable for many people, especially if the TV is being mounted in a smaller space. You are still able to enjoy all of the benefits and entertainment, without a pesky TV stand taking up valuable space1 .
- Hidden Wires for a Clean Appearance: Have you ever seen someone mount their TV on the wall or put it on a TV stand only to be off-put by the prevalence of unattractive wires and cords? Instead of looking for TV wall mounts or stands, mounting your flat screen over your fireplace allows you to hide TV wires and cords in the wall, which makes the room feel clean and unencumbered by clutter. By running all of the wires and cords discretely through a wall plate to conceal them, you can have the focal point of your flat screen TV without the messiness of the cables needed for it to function properly2. Now that you have a solution to concealing any and all TV wires, you may be asking “Where do I put a cable box for a wall mounted TV" to achieve a clean uncluttered appearance?” We have your solution!
- A Common Focal Point in the Room: Some individuals can struggle when designing a room that has both a TV and a fireplace as they can feel like they are competing focal points. By mounting flat screen televisions over a fireplace, you can create a common focal point in the room instead of having competing objects that make designing the room a challenge. By using your TV as decor for your fireplace, you are creating a more visually appealing design for your living room or bedroom3 .
- No Neck Strain: One of the most commonly expressed concerns about mounting a TV over the fireplace is that it may create neck strain since the TV will be mounted higher than eye level. Knowing how high to mount a TV is essential to your viewing experience, which is why Mount-It’s fireplace TV mounts are designed so that they can be pulled down to a more comfortable viewing height when in use. This tool-less adjustment tool works as an extra long arm TV mount that allows you to easily adjust the viewing angle and height of your TV to be at a comfortable level for everyone in the room.
The Con
- Technology and Heat Can Create Issues: Most people know that technology and heat do not pair well together, which is why this is a primary concern and drawback for mounting a TV over fireplace fixtures. Some individuals argue that positioning a TV mount above a fireplace can expose it to higher temperatures that shorten its lifespan and could potentially damage it in the long run. If it is a wood fireplace, smoke can also create a film over the surface of the TV screen, so it will need to be cleaned more frequently4. On the other hand, if you have your fireplace and wall backsplash is made from brick, there are ways to successfully position your TV. To learn how to mount a TV on brick, there are several factors to take into consideration to ensure a study placement.
Safety Concerns
As mentioned above, having flame or heat exposure for your TV can be a safety concern. To mitigate this potential issue, it is important to consult a professional to make sure that there is an adequate distance and heat break between the fireplace and the television. For example, if a mantel is in between the fireplace and the TV, it will help protect the TV from direct exposure5 . If you do not have enough space, do not try to mount your TV in this area. You’d rather be safe than sorry when it comes to your expensive electronics.
All in all, deciding whether or not to mount your TV over a fireplace has never been easier thanks to Mount-It’s adjustable TV mounts that can be pulled down over the fireplace to a more convenient viewing height when in use. However, if you are concerned about the heat exposure of mounting your flat screen TV above a fireplace you can always use a TV stand or TV wall mount in another area of the room. While there are certainly pros and cons to both, every home and living situation is unique and will need individual attention before making a final decision.
Sources:
1. https://www.improvenet.com/a/pros-cons-of-mounting-a-tv-over-a-fireplace
2. https://homesthetics.net/tv-over-fireplace-pros-cons/
3. https://homesthetics.net/tv-over-fireplace-pros-cons/
4. https://www.improvenet.com/a/pros-cons-of-mounting-a-tv-over-a-fireplace
5. https://www.echogear.com/blog/how-to-mount-a-tv-over-the-fireplace/