Fire and Plasma - Can the Two Mix?

It's a wonderful image: the young couple comfortably nestled on a sofa watching their favorite film on the plasma TV mounted above a roaring fireplace. But is it entirely practical? Common sense dictates that having an expensive plasma screen on the wall right above a roaring fire is not the wisest move in creating your home entertainment system. However, it is successfully done on a regular basis and can be done keeping certain guidelines in mind.

There are three main aspects to successfully mounting a plasma screen over your fireplace: fire, wall and math. The first refers to what kind of fireplace you have, and what kind of fire sits in it; the second refers to whether you have a brick, stone, concrete or hollow wall and the third, math, refers to certain measurements regarding the installation of the plasma screen.

If you have a modern fireplace then chances are most of the heat is either directed upwards and outwards through an efficient chimney or directed forward and down, towards the main room. In this case it is best to test the area above your fireplace, using a thermometer or candle, for heat with your fireplace on full blast. If it doesn't get too hot up there then your plasma screen will be fine. It helps a great deal if you have a wide enough mantelpiece in order to block off some of the heat as the screen will most likely stick out about 3-4 inches from the wall.

Secondly, if you have a stone, concrete or brick wall then drilling holes into it for the screen holders should work fine. When the wall is a hollow, ‘dry-wall' you will most likely be drilling into some kind of plasterboard. In this case you have to be very careful that the ‘wall' can take the weight of your plasma TV (which can weigh up to 40kg!). You will also have to make sure that there is some way for the wires to be ‘hidden' by going through the wall behind the plasma screen.

Lastly, the math. How high is the fireplace and the plasma screen mounting? How far away is your sofa from the screen? What angle will the screen be installed with in order to facilitate comfortable viewing? You must think about these questions while you consider buying or installing the plasma TV. If the screen is too high, or viewing distance too close, then you're liable to get a crick in your neck; angling the screen correctly downwards can help reduce this problem also.

Both plasma screens and fireplaces are central attractions in any room and, as such, are increasingly occupying the same location in order to preserve the symmetry and aesthetic of the room. Plasma screen TVs may be very large but they are also very flat and can for this reason be integrated seamlessly with the rest of the room's décor. A bit of careful planning, research and consultation can help you successfully mount your plasma screen on the wall above your fireplace.

Call us for all of your Home Theater Installation needs, Plasma Television or LCD Television installation needs. We specialize in the installation of IPTV, devices, LCD TV's, Surround Sound Systems and Plasma TV. We mount Plasma/LCD HDTV on wall, on ceiling, above fireplace, on brick or stone wall.