How To Safely Mount A Tv Over A Fireplace So You Don't Accidentally Melt Your Screen

With cool fall temperatures already here and winter around the corner, it's that time of year when curling up by the fire with your favorite comfort show or movie becomes the ultimate Friday-night plan. And while installing a fireplace in your living room is certainly one of the best ways to give your home a Gilmore Girls makeover, you might be wondering if it's safe to mount your TV above the fireplace to create the perfect cozy setup. The answer is yes — as long as you take the right precautions. 

Before getting into how to properly mount your TV above your fireplace, the most important thing to consider is what kind of fireplace you have, and how much heat and combustion by-products it emits — factors that will affect how careful you'll need to be. Electric LED fireplaces, for example, are the safest option because they don't create a real flame and therefore don't produce any smoke or soot. While they do project heat, most modern models have built-in fans that push the heat outward into the room, meaning there won't be a significant amount of heat rising towards the television. Vented gas fireplaces are also a relatively safe option. Even though they produce a real flame, they channel heat and combustion pollutants up a chimney, reducing direct exposure to the TV. Open wood-burning fireplaces, on the other hand, pose a much bigger threat because they reach higher temperatures and produce more soot, smoke, and ash. There are, however, safe ways to work around that.

Once you've identified the kind of fireplace you have, the next step is doing a temperature check. To do this, tape a thermometer to the wall where the bottom of the TV would sit, turn your fireplace on to the max heat setting you'd use, and see how high the temperature gets. Then, check your television's manual for its recommended operating and storage temperature range. While some fireplaces, like electric models, won't require extreme precautions — simply mounting the TV 8 to 12 inches above the fireplace may be enough if minimal heat is emitted. But for other types — such as wood-burning fireplaces — more steps are needed to prevent the screen and electronics from melting. 

The best course of action is to create a barrier that diverts heat and smoke away from the TV. This can be done by installing a mantelpiece or oak beam, which not only blocks rising heat but also acts as a blank canvas for stunning mantel decor ideas. Alternatively, if your style leans more traditional, a fire surround can offer the same protective purpose while elegantly framing the entire fireplace. Another option is to put your TV in a recess, which is essentially a built-in alcove that lets the television sit flush with the wall — it's also a brilliant way to hide your TV in style. Or, for a fully integrated setup, you could hire a professional to install a custom-built media wall, which combines both the fireplace and TV into one heat-safe design.