Home audio & video: Is it safe to mount a flat screen over my fireplace?
- 2/27/09 2:41 PM
Edit to previous post
by DougC-3 - 2/22/09 9:10 AM In reply to: You may be able to test this yourself. by DougC-3I'm new to this forum and had not found the other replies before posting <:o)
like your thinking
by chadman007 - 2/27/09 8:21 PM In reply to: You may be able to test this yourself. by DougC-3All this makes common sence and of course insulation matters would be worth looking into if installing but Yes I think the hang is better fot the natural circulation same as putting your microwave 3/4 ' of the wall.Wonder if this is.I do like the idea of the tv over the fire place but makes me wonder about the placement of all the prefearals,Could be near trick
Mounting Flat Panel TV above Gas Fire Place
by rchiare1 - 2/28/09 7:45 AM In reply to: You may be able to test this yourself. by DougC-3This is the only answer that makes sense to me.
Measure the temp. Compare your measurement to the owner's manual.
If in doubt contact the manufacturer.
Mounting over fireplace
by Rxman3844 - 2/22/09 10:12 AM In reply to: Is it safe to mount a flat screen over my fireplace? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I just purchased a Samsung 52" LCD and mounted it over my fireplace. As long as there is a mantle at least 12" in depth, you should be okay. I would suggest mounting with a bracket, as if you cut into the sheetrock, you may have a problem with ventilation and overheating. Further, how will you get to the connections on the rear of the TV? Do you have some kind of closet behind the wall? Your situation seems strange ... you have a fireplace over which there is sheetrock that you can cut to put it a TV? Where is your fireplace chimeny? You are also saying that you want a "flat screen" TV. Why on earth would you buy anything but LCD or Plasma? My set is a whopping 3.5" thick!
fireplace plasma
by 101life - 2/22/09 10:34 AM In reply to: Is it safe to mount a flat screen over my fireplace? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
so far a 42" plasma that runs nonstop has been sitting over my fathers fireplace for 2 years with no problems.
Monitor over fire place... Specifications and Conditions.
by gdmellott - 2/22/09 1:14 PM In reply to: Is it safe to mount a flat screen over my fireplace? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi,
The most likely detrimental effect may arise from heat levels, as your parting words may have implied you had some notion about. Determine the worst case conditions that are likely to occur. A thermometer may in the desired location with the fireplace hard at work may be the most common way to determine that. Then look up the specifications of the desire equipment and see if it will work. The more elbow room the better; as over time, dust and other factors can reduce the ability of the equipment to shed the heat it produces.
As far as mounting it in the wall, I'd be very careful; as the heat levels may even be higher, and the air flow lower, than in the room itself. Building a box for mounting it in, that took in air from floor level may be the best solution available; though a fan, or indoor 'chimney', may be needed to get it to ventilate, as the colder floor air will not likely wish to rise on its own.
At least you are not dealing with a common fireplace which can periodically belch a load of smoke out right at it; especially when trying to poker it into better functionality.
Sincerely,
Gregory D. MELLOTT
HDTV Over Fireplace
by CousinJim - 2/22/09 5:50 PM In reply to: Is it safe to mount a flat screen over my fireplace? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Barbara;
Have you read your manual? I ask this because the location you like is ergonomically incorrect unless you have headrests on your seats. The preferred viewing angle is eye level.
Damage from excessive heat is to be expected. Damage from uneven heat (warm in the center/cold on the sides) will surely ruin your display.
--Jim
!DLP! on top of fireplace
by turnerjm - 2/22/09 8:01 PM In reply to: Is it safe to mount a flat screen over my fireplace? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I did a quick scan of the replies, and it is mostly HT aesthetics or heat concerns to why not to put the TV up there. My spec build home was built with a 'media niche' in a doghouse bumpout and it was the only coax connection in the room.
I have modified it slightly, but I have a 50inch DLP sitting in there now, and I run the fireplace (Direct Vent) most every day. I did purchase the optional blower, and that helps both the room and prevention of heat buildup on the face of the fireplace, and underneath the mantle.
The finished look is, I believe, steller. How many on-wall plasmas and LCDs do you see that look like they are 'falling off the wall' or that are protruding 4-7 inches. With the install I did, the DLP screen is flush, flat with the rest of the wall. If you were to put a 56" spirit level across the face of it you would touch the TV frame as well as the drywall of the sidewalls.
The modifications I made were to install all of my wiring in flexible conduit, and shielded the conduit from the zero-clearance firebox with additional reflective material. This also allowed me to install a 'protected' outlet connected to a remote UPS system to prevent any brown-outs from harming the lamp.
The finished look is that my HT-AV components are remotely located and the DLP takes no floor space. As far as looking up 'high' to the TV, it is not bad. I would rather look up at it than down my nose if I had a recliner, and I guess I slouch in the couch, because I have never had a sore neck, sitting 8+ feet from the fireplace.
Hope you enjoy your setup.
Is it safe to mount a flat screen over my fireplace?
by ndorfn - 2/22/09 11:13 PM In reply to: Is it safe to mount a flat screen over my fireplace? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Well I have been looking into purchasing a new home and have seen many model homes with an alcove above the fireplace specifically for a flat panel television and have been told that the only fireplaces available in that format are gas or propane fueled
CAUTION! Fireplace mounts can be done but use a professional
by MWM0324 - 2/23/09 5:47 AM In reply to: Is it safe to mount a flat screen over my fireplace? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Mounting a TV over a fireplace usually can be done with no issues but you need to have a professional installer do the job. He should be able to determine if your project is feasible or not. The biggest issue when mounting a TV over a fireplace is how the chimney or wall is constructed - can it support the weight of the equipment, will the mounting hardware breach the chimney chute, and the heat dissipation from a running fire.
Anytime you are hanging a TV on a wall, you will need a bracket. The type and style largely depends on the application of the TV. They make static mounts which do not move, tilt mounts that can change the angle of the TV, articulating mounts where the set can be extended forward, swing arm mounts ETC.....
One thing to look out for when mounting a TV over a fireplace is the heat factor. The new flat screen displays are engineered to draw cool air up form the bottom and release the warmed air out the top. If the TV is hung over a fireplace the hot air from the fire, could be drawn up through the TV. This would not provide the needed cooling and could shorten the life of the set or even cause it to fail. A good check would be to figure out where you want the set to be mounted, run the fire place for 30 minutes or so to allow everything to warm up and measure the air temperature around the area where the TV is to be mounted. If it is significantly higher then I would not recommend installing it there. If it is normal then it should be ok to proceed.
One thing to note - TV types - LCD, plasma or DLP depends on personal preference. There are pro's and cons to all of them but in your application the thing to keep in mind is LCD TVs operate at a cooler temperature than plasma or DLP. LCD TVs usually use the same wattage as a light bulb where as plasma and DLP sets use more energy and run at higher temperatures. This could play a factor when mounting the set over a fireplace. Keep in mind, heat is the biggest enemy of electronics.
Geez, Lee, if you're still checking . . .
by Coryphaeus - 2/23/09 5:51 AM In reply to: Is it safe to mount a flat screen over my fireplace? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Where do you get these questions? Information overload is rampant, and different answers are the norm. I've not seen any of your posted questions receive a definitive answer. Maybe you should direct the person to the proper forum.
Wayne these questions are emailed to me and
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 2/27/09 11:57 AM
In reply to: Geez, Lee, if you're still checking . . . by Coryphaeus
part of the CNET Community newsletter...
I use to post these question here:
http://forums.cnet.com/5204-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7
but last year I decided to change it and place the question in the most appropriate forums so that everyone can participate in it rather than just the newsletter readers.
Hope this clarifies why there are so many answers...
-Lee
Is it safe to mount a flat screen over my fireplace
by 3116t - 2/23/09 6:13 AM In reply to: Is it safe to mount a flat screen over my fireplace? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Dear Barbara: In your case i buy a lcd display television (or monitor) and is better install it in other place because the fireplace is a not safe place (it doesn`t matter if the fireplace is fueled by gas), maybe this could be not safe for the television (less time of util life of television (i`m not secure of that, but) or instead your safety. you better Look for other location, positively you find it.
3116t.
Yes and No!
by hawkwind99 - 2/23/09 11:48 AM In reply to: Is it safe to mount a flat screen over my fireplace? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi.
I have a 60 inch model on the wall above an open coal fire and works perfectly. Before I fitted up the bracket, I took heat readings of the main area (at the top as it tilts forward) and fount it to be cool enough.
What you need to check with a gas fire is the heat going straight up through convector slits as these chuck out a lot of heat upwards. You need to take a guess at how far out your TV will come at the top, and take some readings with a standard thermometer. Do this with the fire on full and if you can keep your hand there, then a TV won't melt or damage the screen.
Hope this helps.
hawkwind99
Considerations:
by SandViper_01 - 2/23/09 3:47 PM In reply to: Is it safe to mount a flat screen over my fireplace? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The first thing you need to consider is the greatest killer of electronics... HEAT! If your fireplace lets heat out the front with the doors open and closed, then you might want to rethink it. You'd need to install a diverter between the top of the fireplace and the bottom of the set, to keep the heat away from the TV (additional cost).
As to best type..., there are pros and cons to each. Plasma will last 5yrs or so, before the components need to be replaced. LCD can last 10+ years. I don't know enough about DLP to comment, so I won't.
Cutting the sheetrock vs. external mount, again it's largely a preference thing. If you may need to tilt the TV for better viewing, you won't be able to if it's set into the sheetrock. Also, depending on your climate and interior heating/cooling setup, mounting it in the wall can cause it to run hotter and shorten it's life expectancy. Exterior mounting can be problematic, depending on how contientious your builder was about making sure the studs are spaced evenly around the fireplace.
I can say I've seen TVs mounted above fireplaces and they looked fantastic. If you are serious about doing it, definitely hire a professional installer! The extra expense is well worth the way it's going to look.
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