As has most technology, TV’s have come a long way since the early days, becoming slimmer and more lightweight than ever before. With this, people have been finding new ways to place their TVs in different living spaces, with one of the most common placements being wall-mounted above the fireplace.
Mounting your TV above the fireplace may seem like a great idea and fit with your rooms aesthetic, but it has its own pros and cons that you need to consider when mounting your TV over your fireplace.
Pros of hanging your TV over a fireplace
1. Optimal Visibility
Of course, the most obvious benefit of hanging your TV over a fireplace is that it is highly visible. Most TVs these days have high fidelity OLED screens that can be viewed from any angle without compromising picture quality and clearness. Non-LED TVs, however, don’t have this luxury and can sometimes lack colour and seem washed out when not viewed from eye level.
Nonetheless, the central and raised nature of a fireplace mantel means that the TV can be viewed from more locations in the room, allowing for better placement of furniture based on your preferences.
2. Extra Space
As well as improving the visibility of your TV, mounting it on a wall over the fireplace makes for extra space where you would otherwise have a large TV stand with the TV on top. That extra space is especially beneficial for those with limited room.
3. Out of Reach
Mounting your TV high over your fireplace keeps it out of reach of pets and children, reducing the likelihood of your boisterous loved ones knocking it over and causing damage. It also keeps those mucky handprints away from your pristine screen.
4. Aesthetically Pleasing
In terms of design and aesthetics, mounting your TV over your fireplace may work well with the design of your home. Lot’s of new homes have electrical outlets behind fireplaces as standard, so its obviously a popular design choice. On top of all this, you can set your TV to display pretty images and pieces of art when not in use, adding yet another surface for creativity and design.
Cons of hanging your TV over a fireplace
1. Potential Heat Damage
Perhaps the biggest risk of hanging your TV over a fireplace is potential heat damage to your pricey television. It’s a fairly well-known fact that electronics don’t mix well with constant heat exposure. The reason being is that, over time, temperature-sensitive components will degrade and not work as well, shortening the lifespan of your TV significantly and voiding your warranty in the process.
It’s not just the heat, though. Depending on which kind of fire you have (wood-burning, gas, or electronic), your fire may emit smoke particulates that cover the TVs components and weaken their ability to dissipate heat properly, leaving them prone to overheating before their time.
2. Neck and eye pain
Viewing your TV at such a high and awkward angle for extended periods of time can cause pain in the neck due to the unusual posture that you have to maintain. It can also cause eye strain as you may not be viewing the TV at its optimal angle. These two combined can lead to serious headaches and a sore neck.
3. It stands out too much
Depending on your personal style preferences, mounting your TV over your fireplace may seem like a bad design choice. This is especially the case if your fireplace is the focal point of the room. The TV placement may take away from other design features of the room and may be too gaudy. This can sometimes be remedied by TV screensavers that display pretty images or nice artwork when idle, but for those who are super picky about the aesthetic appeal of their living space, a TV mounted above the fireplace may be too much.
The Choice is Yours
It all comes down to personal preference and practicality. Here, we've given you the pros of cons of positioning a tv above the fireplace. But, if you're still undecided, particularly if you have a traditional fireplace and are concerned about the heat, get in touch and we'll happy to have a chat about your options. We mentioned a little about insulation earlier. We can help you out with this too.
Don't get caught in a minefield. Simply pick up the phone and give The Fireplace Warehouse a call today. Let's make the best of your living space.
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