Most people who have a fireplace in their home want a TV above it these days. A fireplace is generally the centerpiece of a living room in the home. It's a place where families get together on game night. Whether the game is Monopoly or its Monday Night Football. With TVs getting so much thinner and lighter it just makes sense to have a TV mounted above your fireplace. Generally it is a rule of thumb to keep electronic devices away from foreign heat sources. With keeping a few things in mind we support the trend of the above fireplace TV installation.
TVs make their own heat
Its not the newest piece of information out there. We all know that electronics generate heat and most people know that heat hurts electronics. (If you didn't know well now you do.) That's why they have fans inside of them. There is a thermometer inside your TV and when it gets to a certain temperature the fan kicks on to cool it off. If you have your fireplace on all the time, the fan would be running much more than it should right? Yep that is correct. The whole idea about having a TV above a fireplace is for the visual appeal of it. Not to make the TV last longer. A small wood fire is fine but a roaring fire could be bad for the TV so be careful. A good sized mantle helps. Interestingly, TV manufactures will not warranty a TV if it is too close to the wall? Samsung for example requires the TV to be at least 7/8 of an inch from the wall so the fan can cause the proper air flow to keep the TV cool. That causes TV mount manufacturers to keep their brackets up to the warranty standard.
Wood fireplaces cause ash and soot
Dust and other foreign particles do not help TVs. Wood burning fireplaces also cause soot and smoke which can affect the longevity of your TV. If you decide to have your TV above your wood burning fireplace just make sure you have a clean chimney, open flue, and free of extra dirt and soot. All that stuff will stick to your TV and make the picture look fuzzy. But if you just have to get it hung up their a thick mantle will do a lot to help your situation. A mantle makes a heat barrier and helps keep the ash and soot from ever getting to the TV.
A high TV can cause a neck ache
Do you purposely not sit in the very front row of the movie theater? Nor do I, maybe Jerry Seinfeld but who knows why he does what he does. The preferred height of a TV is the bottom third of the TV should be at eye level. Some say the middle of the TV should be but we believe the bottom third. The reason is caused when you sit on the couch and sit all the way back against the back rest. Most people have a slight angle up unless you have excellent posture. The nice thing about all the TV's out there being wall mounted is there are variety wall mount variations now available. There are simple flat fixed brackets, tilting low profile mounts and articulating mounts that move off the wall and turn sideways as well as move up and down to different heights.
What kind of wall can you mount on
There are several different kinds of wall surface that have been used above fireplaces. Pretty much any kind of wall can be mounted on, it just depends on the kind of anchor that is used and what is behind the material. Brick can be mounted on pretty simply with the proper training and a steady hand. Drywall is probably the most common material and the easiest to attach to. Uneven stone can be mounted on, it just takes some added effort and a professional installer. Plaster is still around and will probably cause the biggest headache. Whatever the surface, we can get the TV up for you.
In conclusion
Mounting a TV can be a difficult and overwhelming task. It should be left to a professional TV installer, especially if it going to be installed above your fireplace.
If you are in the market to buy a TV and have it installed call us at 763-420-1070 or request a free estimate here.
Its not the newest piece of information out there. We all know that electronics generate heat and most people know that heat hurts electronics. (If you didn't know well now you do.) That's why they have fans inside of them. There is a thermometer inside your TV and when it gets to a certain temperature the fan kicks on to cool it off. If you have your fireplace on all the time, the fan would be running much more than it should right? Yep that is correct. The whole idea about having a TV above a fireplace is for the visual appeal of it. Not to make the TV last longer. A small wood fire is fine but a roaring fire could be bad for the TV so be careful. A good sized mantle helps. Interestingly, TV manufactures will not warranty a TV if it is too close to the wall? Samsung for example requires the TV to be at least 7/8 of an inch from the wall so the fan can cause the proper air flow to keep the TV cool. That causes TV mount manufacturers to keep their brackets up to the warranty standard.
Wood fireplaces cause ash and soot
Dust and other foreign particles do not help TVs. Wood burning fireplaces also cause soot and smoke which can affect the longevity of your TV. If you decide to have your TV above your wood burning fireplace just make sure you have a clean chimney, open flue, and free of extra dirt and soot. All that stuff will stick to your TV and make the picture look fuzzy. But if you just have to get it hung up their a thick mantle will do a lot to help your situation. A mantle makes a heat barrier and helps keep the ash and soot from ever getting to the TV.
A high TV can cause a neck ache
Do you purposely not sit in the very front row of the movie theater? Nor do I, maybe Jerry Seinfeld but who knows why he does what he does. The preferred height of a TV is the bottom third of the TV should be at eye level. Some say the middle of the TV should be but we believe the bottom third. The reason is caused when you sit on the couch and sit all the way back against the back rest. Most people have a slight angle up unless you have excellent posture. The nice thing about all the TV's out there being wall mounted is there are variety wall mount variations now available. There are simple flat fixed brackets, tilting low profile mounts and articulating mounts that move off the wall and turn sideways as well as move up and down to different heights.
What kind of wall can you mount on
There are several different kinds of wall surface that have been used above fireplaces. Pretty much any kind of wall can be mounted on, it just depends on the kind of anchor that is used and what is behind the material. Brick can be mounted on pretty simply with the proper training and a steady hand. Drywall is probably the most common material and the easiest to attach to. Uneven stone can be mounted on, it just takes some added effort and a professional installer. Plaster is still around and will probably cause the biggest headache. Whatever the surface, we can get the TV up for you.
In conclusion
Mounting a TV can be a difficult and overwhelming task. It should be left to a professional TV installer, especially if it going to be installed above your fireplace.
If you are in the market to buy a TV and have it installed call us at 763-420-1070 or request a free estimate here.
