I always see pictures of homes with plasma or LCD TVs above a fireplace. Even some mounted on the brick with no mantel. The TV would certainly be in direct line of the heat. This can?t be a good thing for the TV. Is there some type of heat diffuser that needs to be put in place before mounting the TV?
Thanks TP
On a properly designed, installed and maintained fireplace it shouldn't
be a problem to mount a TV above it. The heat from the fire is routed
up the chemney which is well separated and insulated from the wall.
Do a little experiment. Light a nice fire in your fireplace. Then feel
the wall where you'd put the TV. If it's more than a few degrees warmer
than the walls a little ways removed, you have problems that should be
investigated by a professional.
I think you'll find it the same temp. Go for it.
that doesn't make any sense, if all the heat is going out the chimney, then how does one heat a house using a fireplace?
You're correct, most of the heat goes up the chimney. Fire places don't
actually heat the house - they cool it!!! They may heat the immediate
area by radiant heating but they pull cool air from the rest of the
house and send it up the chimney. They have some conduction - touch the
brick around the fire place. But, they have little convection unless you
add a heat exchanger and fan. That's why old houses (1800's say) had so
many fireplaces. That was the only way to make the entire house warm.
Most Lcd's that you'd put over a fireplace will have a built in fan. The
heat was the first thing that I thought of when I thought to get one.
But if yours was built right the walls should never get hot. When you
go to get one ask a saleman about it. I'm sure if you get the right
person you'll get all the info you need.
You might also get uncomfortable looking up at that angle all the time. Make sure before you start mounting.
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