TV Above Fireplace A Full Guide for Gas & Electric Fires
We often get asked if it would be ok to fit a LCD or LED flat screen television above a fireplace. The below article will outline all the useful information you should be aware of when considering fitting a TV above your fireplaceWhy install a TV above your fireplace
1. Fireplaces are usually located in the centre of a living room on a chimney breast and are hence the midpoint whereby it would be very convenient from a viewing point to fit a TV. Hence above the fireplace become a simple preference choice due to current layout options
2. Many show homes and magazines show TV’s above fireplaces and it has certainly become a fissionable thing to do
3. Traditionally mirrors were placed above a fire surround, and this could arguably make the room look dated and not keep with a modern decor. TV’s above a fireplace are a great alternative as they add a modern twist to your room decor
What you should know
1. If your chimney is not efficient and effectively has a large amount of heat lost up the chimney, then the chimney breast and effectively the area where your TV is placed will be very hot and could damage the television as a result. When designing TV’s there is no allowance to disperse of additional heat. Overall the fireplace trade would advise against placing a TV above gas fireplaces for this reason.
2. Electric Fireplaces emit heat via a fan convector located in the canopy of the fire. The fire is 100% efficient at the source point and as a result will not damage your TV. It is also important to note that Electric fires can be used as a decorative feature with the heater switched off. This means you can have the warm glow of a fire without the heat (doing this sounds weird & quirky, but it is one of the best features of an electric fireplace). The average electric fire has a canopy (hood of fire) positioned at a 60 degree angle, which means the heat (if turned on) would bounce off the floor at a safe angle and be quite a distance away from your Television
3. The average fireplace is too high off the ground for a computable viewing height of a television placed above a fire surround. Ideally you would want a fireplace 40 inches high off the floor. At Creative Fireplaces, we make all our marble fireplaces to order in our own Nottinghamshire based factory and are able to alter the height if needed. We would normally not charge for this modification as it is a simple alteration (please feel free to contact us and we would be happy to advise and assist you in any way possible)
Interesting ideas
(a) At a recent trade fireplace show we saw a company which fitted a linear actuator behind a deep fire surround which hid the television and exposed it using a remote control.
(b) The firm had effectively created a surround which hid a flat screen TV behind the fireplace using a motor similar to that used on conventional car windows (linear actuator).
(c) The TV could be hidden behind the fire when not in use (as motor lowered the television behind the surround).
(d) The entire concept was remote controlled.
(e) The top of the television had a small strip of marble, which finishes off the mantle of the fire surround and made it virtually impossible to know where the TV was
