Since the living room is the heart of the home, it’s the spot that many of us first think of when we consider installing an electric fireplace in our property. It makes a pretty idyllic addition to an evening in, sat watching TV on the sofa.

But, if you’re a bit short of space, you might have to be a bit strategic with your room planning. One choice you might be pursuing is installing your electric fireplace below your TV. 

To help you weigh up your options and make the best decision for your home, we’ve rounded up the pros and cons of installing an electric fireplace directly below your TV. 

The Pros:

• Thanks to the wide variety of electric fireplace design options, you can be sure to find a colour and style that will suit the existing aesthetic of your room, either before or after you mount a TV.
• With an electric fireplace, you can find a fireplace of the right size and shape to fit exactly into your allotted space.
• Installing an electric fireplace in your living room below your television is a great way to maximise the space of your living room and leave yourself with plenty of wall space.
• Electric fires provide a realistic flame effect with a heat source to go along side your central heating or under floor heating system.
• They greatly enhance the aesthetic of a living room and create an attractive focal point (and some even have a slick remote control!)
• Electric fireplaces don’t emit harmful gases (such as carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide) unlike other types of fireplaces. Plus, there are no open flames or flying embers to worry about when your TV is over the fireplace.
• Electric fireplaces are safe to touch, which is great if you have any children or pets in the property (low quality gas fireplaces don’t always offer this amount of protection and can sometimes lack key safety features if bought from a supplier or manufacturer who doesn’t appreciate those factors).

If you have a recessed niche above your fireplace (which has access to the required electrical outlet, cable TV jack and Ethernet cable), then this spot will absolutely work for your TV. 

Electrical fireplaces are perfect to sit below a wall mounted TV, as they are considerably less hot (and temperamental!) than a standard wood-burning fireplace. Plus, if you employ an experienced professional to install the fireplace, any potential risks associated with the heat and electrics of the appliance can be fully mitigated. 

The Cons:

• Fireplaces tend to require a considerable amount of electrical power. If you intend to use the fireplace as a primary source of heat in the living room it can be very costly.
• The heat output from an electric fireplace has a maximum of 2kw, compared to an average gas fire which is 4kw this wouldn’t be enough to heat your living room in it’s own.
• Make sure you consider the location of the boxes and speakers that need to be plugged into the flat screen TV, along with the cables that run between them. 
• You may wish to get some assistance in choosing a unit that has the minimal possible effect on your viewing experience (in terms of both light glare and positioning). 

Winter is fast approaching, and already we’ve found that nights are starting to get a little bit more chilly. Right now is the perfect time to give your home heating a bit of an upgrade – in readiness for when winter arrives in full force. 

At The Fireplace Studio, our dedicated team of electrical fireplace installation specialists will ensure that you receive a stunning electric fireplace that exceeds all of your expectations. Our years of experience means that you can trust us to consider all of the key user considerations that come with installing an electric fireplace, even if it is set below a TV (if that’s on a TV stand or not).

We hope we’ve helped you to decide whether a TV over an Electric Fireplace is right for you. So, if you’re looking to give your home a cosy winter revamp, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. 

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