Movable Mounts Make Above-the-Fireplace TV Placement Practical – and Beautiful

There’s a long-held belief that mounting a TV above a fireplace is a bad idea; movable TV mounts change all that.

CARLSBAD, CA, USA, May #1, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — For the longest time, conventional wisdom has been not to mount your TV above a fireplace. The reasons generally cited, while valid at one time, no longer hold water. This is a critical point because placing a TV above a fireplace has always been – and remains – an extremely popular mounting option. Here are the four main arguments, along with the reasons they are no longer applicable.

Problem 1: It’s a Pain in the Neck
Putting the TV above the fireplace puts the viewing angle above eye level. This requires the viewer to crane their neck to see the television, which can result in all kinds of health problems: muscular imbalances, neck stiffness, and eye strain. It’s like sitting in the front row of a movie theater, not usually a highly sought-after spot (except for some diehards who feel like they’re “immersed” in the movie).

How a Mount Solves the Problem
Pulldown mounts with vertical movement capability are a perfect solution. These mounts, like the ones available from MantelMount, greatly enhance the viewing experience. While mounts offer varying types of motion, it is the vertical movement which allows the viewer to mount their TV above the fireplace, pull it down to eye level to watch it, then easily move it back when they’re finished.

Problem #2: Looking for the “Sweet Spot”
Many video experts cite picture quality as an issue. If the viewer is not looking straight at the screen (if the TV is mounted above a fireplace, they likely are not), the result can be a washed-out image, as the viewer is only seeing a fraction of the light being produced by the TV. To be more specific, the screen has a sweet spot “cone” that shoots over the viewer’s head if the TV is too high, so the colors are not as vibrant when viewing (a similar thing can occur if the TV is too low or the person is watching from a side angle).

How a Mount Solves the Problem
With a modern TV wall mount, picture quality is no longer a concern. Mounts with vertical capability allow the viewer to bring the TV down to eye level; because the viewer is now looking straight at the screen, the problem of washed-out picture quality is eliminated. Even mounts without vertical movement can at least be tilted downward to minimize loss of resolution.

Problem #3: The Heat Is On
According to some electronics experts, having an open fire going while your TV is above the mantel can potentially damage sensitive electronic parts. There is actually considerable disagreement over this issue; even those who agree can’t necessarily come together on what temperature is considered too high and how long a TV must be exposed to it before damage occurs.

How a Mount Solves the Problem
As long as the TV is above the mantel, the mantel will act as a shield from the rising heat. The situation changes when there is a full-motion mount with vertical movement that allows the viewer to put the TV right out in front of the fire. For those scenarios, MantelMount has devised patented heat-sensing handles which turn bright red when the temperature of the handles exceeds a safe 110◦ F. (The actual temperature at which electronic components can be damaged is higher, but MantelMount sets the handle temperature low to ensure complete safety.) At that point, the viewer can raise the TV back over the mantel to the “Safe Zone.” Or the fire can just be extinguished.

Problem #4: The Center of Attention?
Many interior designers are firmly set against the idea of hanging a TV above the fireplace, even if it is the only open space in a room large enough to accommodate it. For many designers, it’s simply a major decorating faux pas. The primary reason cited is that the TV shouldn’t be the focus of the room.

How a Mount Solves the Problem
While some interior decorators are against above-fireplace mounting, others disagree. Many point out that the advance in TV technology has been accompanied by an equally dramatic advance in TV design. Today’s flatscreen TV’s are thinner, sleeker and more visually striking than ever – virtual works of art. Consequently, there are those consumers who want to highlight these attractive electronic devices, not downplay them.

The Bottom Line
All of the above were valid reasons not to hang a TV above the fireplace until full-motion TV wall mounts were introduced. Given the capabilities of these mounts, it’s instructive to reconsider the previous objections – and focus on why this enduring philosophy can be effectively dispelled.

Spencer Greenwald
MantelMount
+1 800-897-9755 ext. 1002
email us here