Plasma TV Installation Guide (3): Installing a Plasma over the Fireplace

Plasma TV Installation Guide (3)
Installing a Plasma over the Fireplace

Installing a plasma over the fireplace in the living room is turning out to be a popular and attractive way to display a plasma television set. It is also a great installation option that can easily integrate your new flat-panel TV with the rest of the room decor. But...

There are a number of considerations that come into play here. In this plasma TV installation guide, we discuss the specific requirements that arise when you want to mount your plasma TV above a fireplace.

The Center of Attraction:
Your Plasma TV or the Fireplace?

Though flat-panel plasma television sets can be easily integrated with the rest of your room decor due to their slim footprint, yet general living room configurations often put the fireplace as the central focal point, when in reality, the center of attraction in home entertainment is your BIG screen TV.

Placing your plasma over the fireplace is an effective way of steering the center of attraction to your new plasma while still integrating the two in one space.

But is mounting a Plasma TV over the Fireplace, a real option?

Well, wall mounting a plasma television set - irrespective of whether this is above the fireplace or on any standard wall - is both a great space-saver, and an attractive solution to display a flat-panel television.

Further more, as already expressed in the first part of our plasma TV Installation Guide, the availability of different wall mounts renders wall mounting a plasma TV a relatively easy job that can be handled by most end-users.

However, there are specific situations where wall mounting a plasma TV may turn out somewhat more complicated; mounting a plasma over the fireplace can be one of these.

We are not saying that wall mounting a plasma above the fireplace is not do-able by most end-users. In reality, this task can range from a simple straightforward installation similar to installing a plasma TV wall mount over an ordinary wall, to one, which is very difficult and best left to a professional installer.

This depends on how your home is built. For example, we all know that a wall mounted plasma would look at its best when all connecting cables are hidden. Now, if the wall above the mantel is hollow and can be easily accessed somehow from behind, hiding and running cables should be relatively easy, otherwise things start to get complicated.

In a similar manner, if the wall above the fireplace is made of bricks or stone, then you can make use of small rawbolts (or anchor bolts) to fix the plasma TV mount. On the other hand, if it is dry-wall, special care should be taken to ensure that the whole fixture will be able to take the load of the display panel.

In this Plasma TV Installation Guide, we focus on the main issues that will normally arise when it comes to mounting a plasma over the fireplace.

Issues discussed in this article applies equally well to mounting an LCD TV above the fireplace. Just ensure that the ambient temperature around your LCD display panel is within the operating temperature range as detailed in the accompanying product technical specifications.

Plasma over the Fireplace Installation - Basic Considerations

Will the heat from the fireplace harm the plasma TV?

Plasma displays are normally specified to operate within a temperature range of 32 - 100 degrees Fahrenheit (0 - 40 degrees Celsius). The actual supported ambient operating temperature range varies from model to model, so please check with the accompanying product literature. This information is normally included as part of the product technical specifications and covers details for temperature and humidity ranges applicable to both operating and storage conditions.

Operating your plasma TV at temperatures above 100 degrees or so, may lead to premature damage to the electronics - shortening the display lifetime. On the other hand, operating at excessive low temperature may lead to a deteriorating on operational performance.

Thus, prior to proceeding with mounting your plasma over the fireplace, you first need to check the ambient temperature above the mantel when the fireplace is in use.

The best way to do this is to tape a thermometer at the point above the mantel where you plan to place your plasma TV set. Then build a fire and let it burn for some time. Once the temperature stabilizes, take your readings. If it is close to or above the 100 degrees Fahrenheit, then the area is receiving too much heat - either escaping from the front of the fireplace and rising up the face, or radiating through the chimney wall.

Should this be the case, it would be unwise to mount your plasma over the fireplace - especially if you plan to run your plasma TV for long periods while the fireplace is in use. Though plasma TVs have their own cooling mechanism, operating the unit at high ambient temperatures reduces the effectiveness of the plasma cooling system - thus increasing your risk of pre-mature damage to your plasma TV. OK, you may always opt to use your plasma while the fireplace is off.

Do not forget that operating your plasma television set at relatively high ambient temperatures for extended periods may also void the product warranty since you will not be making use of your plasma in the environment it was designed for.

Note that:

Burning a fire with the plasma over the fireplace while your plasma TV is off, will not harm your flat-panel TV. This being so as long as the ambient temperature is within the storage temperature range for your plasma TV; the latter is typically from 15 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (approx. -10 to 50 degrees Celsius).

How should I mount the plasma over the fireplace?

The simplest way is to put the plasma on the mantel as long as the latter is deep enough to take a tabletop stand for your plasma TV. However, a better- looking option is to wall mount your plasma over the fireplace.

The whole process of fixing the plasma TV wall mount - irrespective of the nature of the wall above the mantel - is described in detail in the second part of our Plasma TV Installation Guide. If it is drywall, use appropriate fixtures to penetrate the studs, if it is a brick wall, use anchor-blots.

The main issue here is to pay attention to the amount of heat to which your plasma is exposed; this should always be of a concern when mounting your plasma over the fireplace. In particular, be aware that some bricks tend to radiate more heat than others.

In addition, it is not recommended to opt for a recessed installation when mounting your plasma over the fireplace; you may easily have issues with overheating. Further more, while aesthetically, a recessed installation is an interesting option, yet you may have issues with the size of your recess should you desire to replace or upgrade your plasma some time in the future.

For details on how to wall mount a plasma TV, please follow through the information given in our Plasma TV Wall Mount Installation Guide.

Plasma TV too high - How can you go about it?

One issue we touch upon in our Plasma TV Installation Guide is correct screen height. When mounting a plasma over the fireplace, there a real risk that your plasma will be too high for real comfortable viewing while seated, especially if the mantel is a bit high.

In these circumstances, it is best to make use of a tilting plasma TV wall mount. Tilting wall mounts provide for a change in the vertical angle of view (typically �15 degrees) of the television, depending on the viewer position. These flat-panel TV wall mounts are best suited where the ideal mounting height is not feasible. A tilting wall-mount would typically add no more than 0.5 to 1 inch to the overall depth in comparison to a fixed wall mount. More on flat-panel TV mounts can be found in our Guide to LCD TV Mounts.

Note that the use of a tilting wall mount represents only a partial solution to a too high a plasma TV installation. Still, you may still suffer from a strained neck especially if you do not have appropriate recliners for your seating. Nevertheless, as long as the bottom of the plasma screen is not above eye level when seated, you should still enjoy acceptable comfortable viewing experience.

Do you need to call in professional assistance?

If you are not sure that you can install your plasma over the fireplace, our advice is to call professional help. Contact some local Audio/Video or home theater store in your area and ask for recommendations for an installer. Also, look for Home Theater in the yellow pages. Finding a professional installer should not be difficult but...

Unfortunately, there are many guys out there who think they know what they are doing. Be careful! Check their past experience by asking specific questions about how many plasma television sets they have installed - including about over the fireplace installations. Be ready to pay for them to come and do a site survey; any good installer will want to do this first.

A Final Recommendation

Once you mount your plasma over the fireplace, there would still remain one more thing: Adjust the various settings on your plasma TV for the best viewing experience. The best way to do this is to invest in a good set-up DVD.

A great calibration disc we used to recommend is the AVIA Home Theater Set-up DVD, an exceptional AV calibration tool for both the novice and the expert. This disc is being replaced by the Avia II, an updated version with dozens of new calibration tools and additional information on the latest HD technologies.

Another interesting TV calibration tool that comes in an HD version is the Digital Video Essentials HD, but this is more suitable for advanced users.

For more information on set-up discs, check our Guide to Home Theater Set-Up DVDs.

Now that you have completed your plasma over the fireplace installation, all that remains is to sit back, relax and enjoy the show!