Fireplaces

Hearthmaster

Whatever style you may choose, one very important detail to plan for when mounting a TV above a fireplace is how best to protect the electronics from heat damage while maintaining the proper clearances between the fireplace and any combustible materials. This can affect the choice of material a mantel must be made out of, the dimensions and location of the mantel, fireplace and TV, and the type of TV mounting bracket that is used. While the fireplace manufacturers provide charts for the proper clearances to combustibles, this is not enough to lower the heat to a point that electronics can tolerate. Most TV manufacturers will state in the installation instructions that their product should not be mounted above a fireplace. That being said, it is still possible to do if the correct steps are taken to reduce the heat the TV will be subjected to. In my experience, which is more than 10 years of custom fireplace and mantel design and installation, I have determined through experimentation with different installations while using an infrared thermometer to check my results that a mantel must protrude a MINIMUM of 2" beyond the part of the TV that sticks out furthest from the wall and more is better. This pushes the heat rising off the fireplace out in front of the TV and greatly reduces the heat it is exposed to. This distance will change depending on the type of bracket used and the position of the TV. If the TV is slightly turned or tilted that distance will be greater. The deeper the mantel is, the greater the distance required from the top of the fireplace opening to the bottom of the mantel. This can greatly affect the amount of room available for the installation, especially in rooms with 8' to 9' ceilings. Electronics do not like heat. Take the extra time to find a fireplace professional who can take all this into consideration. In this case, function must, to some degree, dictate form. When done correctly, the temperature your electronics will be exposed to can be lowered as much as 60 to 80 degrees F.

Reply to: Whatever style you may choose, one very important detail to plan for when mounting a TV above a fireplace is how best to protect the electronics from heat damage while maintaining the proper clearances between the fireplace and any combustible materials. This can affect the choice of material a mantel must be made out of, the dimensions and location of the mantel, fireplace and TV, and the type of TV mounting bracket that is used. While the fireplace manufacturers provide charts for the proper clearances to combustibles, this is not enough to lower the heat to a point that electronics can tolerate. Most TV manufacturers will state in the installation instructions that their product should not be mounted above a fireplace. That being said, it is still possible to do if the correct steps are taken to reduce the heat the TV will be subjected to. In my experience, which is more than 10 years of custom fireplace and mantel design and installation, I have determined through experimentation with different installations while using an infrared thermometer to check my results that a mantel must protrude a MINIMUM of 2" beyond the part of the TV that sticks out furthest from the wall and more is better. This pushes the heat rising off the fireplace out in front of the TV and greatly reduces the heat it is exposed to. This distance will change depending on the type of bracket used and the position of the TV. If the TV is slightly turned or tilted that distance will be greater. The deeper the mantel is, the greater the distance required from the top of the fireplace opening to the bottom of the mantel. This can greatly affect the amount of room available for the installation, especially in rooms with 8' to 9' ceilings. Electronics do not like heat. Take the extra time to find a fireplace professional who can take all this into consideration. In this case, function must, to some degree, dictate form. When done correctly, the temperature your electronics will be exposed to can be lowered as much as 60 to 80 degrees F.

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