Mounting a TV over the fireplace is very popular in the United States, but it’s not always in the best interest of the electronics. Let’s face it, heat plus electronics is usually a bad idea. Most electronics are adverse to heat – and smoke is often worse (two elements usually found near fireplaces). The same film you find on your inside windows after burning wood in a fireplace also ends up inside any electronics nearby. You may not be able to see it, but it’s there because you can smell it. And as they build up, they can wreak havoc on the sensitive elements inside your flatscreen television.
Most electronic devices simply operate best and most reliably at lower temperatures. Beyond that, excessive heat can cause temperature-sensitive materials to degrade quickly, and conductive materials can even sprout little metal whiskers, causing shorts within the TVs circuitry.
Another concern we hear is that a TV positioned over a fireplace is at an uncomfortable viewing angle. Many TVs mounted over the fireplace will be above eye level when people are seated. Craning your neck into an unnatural position for an extended period of time is going to cause temporary discomfort, but doing so for even short periods of time, day after day, can have lasting effects, like chronic headaches.
One way to protect your TV and still enjoy your fireplace is to consider a TV Lift Cabinet. Many units are finished on all four sides, so you can place them anywhere in a room with a fireplace. Some people use the cabinets as room dividers; others place the units in the corner of a room. The televisions are protected from heat sources and always at the perfect height for people to view entertainment. And, when the televisions aren’t in use, they are safely stored within the cabinet to keep all the electronics safe from particulate sources.