A new plasma flat-screen TV in the family room can make your home warm and inviting, as if it were its own central fireplace. In fact, traditional home design often makes a fireplace the center point of the main living area, so what do you do when you also want to make your new plasma TV (where everyone gathers to watch movies and television) the focal point of the house? Can you hang a plasma flat-screen TV over your fireplace? Merging the two may take some work, but there are ways to solve this dilemma. Read on to find out more.

If you’re set on hanging your new plasma TV over your hearth, you’ll want to tape a thermometer against the wall where you envision your TV and start a roaring fire. If the thermometer reading reaches 90 degrees or higher, it’s going to be too hot to hang your TV there. And although your TV comes equipped with its own cooling system, burdening it with an outside heat source will cause it to overload very quickly.

If you have a substantial mantel and think your TV will be fine if placed above it (using the mantel as a shield from heat escaping through the front of the fireplace), think again. Heat can also transfer through the chimney and overheat your TV from behind, so don’t forgo the thermometer test.

This might seem too obvious, but do you have an electrical outlet near your fireplace and do you have space for your media players? If you don’t have an existing electrical outlet in place, you can expect to pay an electrician about $200 to set one up. And the heat sensitivity of media players is at least the same as your plasma TV, but always check your manufacturer’s guide to be sure.

Are you sure you even want it above the fireplace? Sometimes this could place the TV too high for a pleasurable viewing angle, causing neck strain and fatigue. Keep in mind the extra height of the TV before drilling into your walls. And speaking of walls, many fireplaces are made of stone, so you’ll have to be sure your mounting hardware will be suitable for masonry.

Is this sounding like a lot of work? It is. But there is a simpler option to consider. ImportAdvantage offers two different electric fireplace / TV lift cabinets to choose from – the Remington or the Soho. Both are unique in that they combine a beautiful and warming electric fireplace with a heavy duty TV lift. Your TV and media players are completely protected by a firebox when stored or when on display. In fact, this may be the simplest option of all to protect your new plasma flat-screen TV. Check it out today!