Of Course You Can.......Just Do It Right!!

If there is one question we hear constantly while designing fireplace remodels, it is this:

“Can I put my TV above the fireplace?”

Usually followed immediately by:

“And can we get it lower?”

Because apparently the perfect living room requires a giant television, a beautiful fireplace, a comfortable viewing height and absolutely no regard whatsoever for the fact that fire produces heat.

Fortunately, modern fireplace design has come a long way.

Yes, a television can often be installed above a gas fireplace.

But there is a very important difference between:

“A TV can go above this fireplace because the entire wall was designed correctly.”

and:

“Sure, screw it to the wall. It'll probably be fine.”

At Skyline Hearth & Fire, we design and install fireplace systems throughout Roanoke, Salem, Bedford, Forest, Lynchburg, Smith Mountain Lake, Moneta, Lexington, Blacksburg, Christiansburg and surrounding areas of Southwest and Central Virginia.

And when a television is part of the plan, we want to know that before the framing starts.

Here's why.

The Problem Isn't the TV. It's the Heat.

Gas fireplaces are designed to produce heat.

Televisions, unfortunately, are not especially fond of being slow-roasted.

The area directly above a traditional fireplace can become significantly warmer than the rest of the room because heated air naturally rises from the fireplace.

How much heat reaches the wall and television depends on several things, including the fireplace model, BTU input, fireplace opening, convection design, mantel configuration, framing, finishing materials, heat-management system and television location.

That means there isn't one universal measurement that says:

“Mount every TV exactly X inches above every gas fireplace.”

That's not how listed fireplace systems work.

The installation manual for the specific fireplace matters.

So does the television manufacturer's installation guidance.

And this is exactly where good fireplace design becomes more important than simply picking something that looks nice in a brochure.

If you're planning a new installation, our fireplace installation services include the fireplace, venting and the other pieces that need to work together as one system.

Modern Fireplace Heat Management Changes Everything

This is where today's premium gas fireplaces get really interesting.

Instead of allowing all of the fireplace's convection heat to exit directly above the glass, some manufacturers offer systems that redirect that heated air somewhere else.

That can dramatically change what we're able to do with the wall above the fireplace.

One of the best examples is Kozy Heat's Komfort Zone Kit.

Kozy Heat describes the system as an optional convection duct system that redirects warm air away from the fireplace opening using natural convection. Depending on the approved installation, that heat can be released higher on the wall, through side walls or potentially into another area.

The result is substantially cooler wall temperatures above the fireplace, specifically making designs involving televisions and artwork more practical.

Learn more about Kozy Heat fireplace heat-management systems.

That's a very different approach from simply sticking a giant mantel above a hot fireplace and hoping it wins the argument with thermodynamics.

The Kozy Heat Komfort Zone Kit

We sell a lot of Kozy Heat fireplaces at Skyline Hearth & Fire, and this is one of the reasons why.

They give us options.

The Komfort Zone Kit, often shortened to KZK, takes convection heat that would normally discharge near the top of the fireplace and moves it through approved ductwork to another discharge location.

That means the entire fireplace wall can be designed differently.

Depending on the fireplace model and approved configuration, that can allow us to reduce temperatures above the appliance, bring certain approved finish materials closer to the fireplace and design a much cleaner relationship between the fireplace and television.

And importantly, this isn't some field-fabricated trick somebody dreamed up in the back of a truck.

It's an engineered, manufacturer-approved system with specific framing, ducting and clearance requirements.

That's how this stuff should be done.

Some Fireplaces Are Specifically Designed With TVs in Mind

Another reason we love having multiple fireplace options is that not every customer wants the same thing.

Some homeowners want a huge contemporary linear fireplace.

Others want something that still looks like a traditional log fireplace but fits better below a TV.

Kozy Heat Bellingham Series

The Kozy Heat Bellingham is a great example.

Its lower landscape-style profile was specifically designed to work well in installations where a television will be located above the fireplace.

The Bellingham 38 and 44 provide a traditional log-fire appearance without forcing the fireplace opening unnecessarily high on the wall. Kozy Heat even describes the Bellingham 52 as being designed to look good beneath a large television.

See the Kozy Heat Bellingham 52.

That's important because television placement isn't just about temperature.

It's also about viewing height.

You don't want to finish your fireplace remodel, sit down on the couch and realize your television is now located somewhere near the second floor.

Linear Fireplaces Give Us Even More Design Freedom

For homeowners who want something more modern, the Kozy Heat Callaway series gives us several heat-distribution options.

Depending on the model and installation, Kozy Heat offers options including the Komfort Zone Kit, vented cavity systems and interior or exterior heat-transfer systems.

Kozy Heat specifically states that the Callaway's approved Komfort Zone Kit or vented-cavity configurations can allow a television to be installed safely above the fireplace while reducing heat exposure above the unit.

See the Kozy Heat Callaway 50.

That opens up a lot of possibilities for modern fireplace walls with stone, tile, large-format porcelain, non-combustible mantels, televisions and built-ins.

And that's where fireplace design starts getting fun.

Then There's the New Kozy Heat Generation 6020

We've also recently added the Kozy Heat Generation 6020 to our Roanoke showroom.

And ours isn't the normal front-facing version.

We installed the three-sided bay configuration because apparently doing the reasonable version wasn't interesting enough.

The Generation 6020 is particularly relevant to this conversation because Kozy Heat actually requires either an approved Komfort Zone Kit or vented-cavity configuration as part of the installation.

That means heat management isn't an afterthought.

It's part of the fireplace system.

Our display also gives customers a chance to see what these newer fireplace designs look like in person instead of trying to make a $10,000-plus remodeling decision from a photograph on the internet.

Read our full article about the Kozy Heat Generation 6020 three-sided bay display in Roanoke.

Does a Mantel Protect a TV From Fireplace Heat?

Sometimes.

But a mantel is not a magical heat force field.

A properly designed mantel can help redirect rising heat away from the wall above the fireplace, which can absolutely be part of a successful TV-over-fireplace design.

But mantel depth, mantel height, fireplace output and the specific manufacturer's required clearances all matter.

Moving a combustible wood mantel lower because “it looks better there” isn't an option unless the fireplace's listed installation instructions allow it.

The same applies to non-combustible mantels.

Using a non-combustible product may give us additional design options, but it doesn't mean we get to ignore the fireplace manual.

We frequently incorporate non-combustible mantels into fireplace remodels because they can provide the look of a substantial mantel while helping us work within the requirements of modern fireplace installations.

But the entire assembly still has to be designed correctly.

What About Recessing the TV?

A recessed TV can create a really clean finished fireplace wall.

It can also create another heat trap if somebody builds the recess without understanding where the fireplace's convection heat is going.

Some fireplace manufacturers provide specific approved TV-recess configurations.

Others use heat-management systems that change how the wall needs to be framed.

The key word in both sentences is:

Approved.

We don't just make up fireplace framing as we go.

Okay, technically we make plenty of things up as we go in construction.

Lunch plans.

Where somebody left the drill.

Who used the last battery.

But not fireplace clearances.

Those come from the manufacturer's listing and installation instructions.

Can Shiplap or Wood Go Above a Gas Fireplace?

Sometimes.

And again, this is where modern heat-management systems have dramatically expanded fireplace design possibilities.

Certain approved fireplace and heat-management configurations allow combustible finishing materials closer to the fireplace than a conventional installation would permit.

Kozy Heat's Callaway literature, for example, identifies approved vented-cavity configurations that can reduce heat above the fireplace and allow combustible finish materials in areas that would otherwise require different treatment.

But that does not mean shiplap can automatically be installed anywhere around any fireplace.

The exact fireplace model, heat-management configuration and installation manual determine where combustible materials are allowed.

That's why choosing the fireplace should happen before the finished fireplace wall gets designed.

Not after.

Don't Build the Wall First and Pick the Fireplace Later

We see this more often than you'd think.

A homeowner, builder or remodeler frames an absolutely beautiful fireplace wall.

TV location is perfect.

Mantel location is perfect.

Built-ins are perfect.

Electrical is finished.

Drywall is finished.

Then somebody says:

“Okay, what fireplace fits in here?”

And suddenly we're trying to play fireplace Tetris inside a wall that already dictated every dimension.

That's backwards.

The fireplace should drive the critical dimensions.

The appliance determines venting.

The appliance determines framing requirements.

The appliance determines clearances.

The appliance determines heat-management options.

Then we design the wall around those requirements.

That's how you end up with something that looks intentional instead of something where everybody spends two days trying to figure out which code-compliant compromise looks the least terrible.

Remodeling an Existing Fireplace With a TV Above It

You don't need to be building a new home to take advantage of these options.

Older fireplaces can often be dramatically remodeled.

Depending on the existing structure, we may be able to remove old brick or stone, replace an outdated factory-built fireplace, convert an existing wood-burning fireplace to gas, install a direct-vent fireplace or insert, reframe the feature wall, relocate electrical and completely change the finish materials.

We've done projects where the finished fireplace bears almost no resemblance to what we started with.

If you're wondering how far an existing fireplace can be transformed, read:

Can You Completely Remodel an Old Fireplace?

And if the next question is inevitably:

“Okay, but what does something like that cost?”

We've already covered that too:

2026 Fireplace Remodel Cost Guide for Roanoke, VA

Fireplace, TV, Mantel and Wall Should Be Designed Together

This is really the takeaway.

Stop thinking about the fireplace, television, mantel and stone as four separate projects.

They're one project.

A well-designed fireplace wall coordinates the fireplace model, fireplace height, viewing area, heat-management system, venting, television size, television mounting height, mantel location, electrical, framing and finishing materials from the beginning.

That's especially important with today's larger televisions.

A 75-inch or 85-inch television combined with a large gas fireplace can consume an enormous amount of vertical wall space very quickly.

A couple inches here and six inches there suddenly matter.

That's why we like designing these projects before demolition starts.

We can look at the room, take measurements, determine the style you're after and start working backward from the finished result.

Can You Put a TV Above a Gas Fireplace? Yes — If You Design It That Way.

So let's answer the original question.

Can you put a TV above a gas fireplace?

In many cases, absolutely.

Modern fireplaces and manufacturer-approved heat-management systems give us considerably more flexibility than older fireplace designs.

But the correct solution isn't simply mounting the television farther up the wall and hoping for the best.

The fireplace model, required clearances, heat-management system, mantel design, television manufacturer's requirements and entire wall assembly all need to work together.

And if you're already thinking:

“Okay, I want the fireplace lower, the TV lower, stone all the way up, a big mantel and built-ins on both sides…”

Perfect.

That's exactly the conversation we want to have before anybody starts framing.

Skyline Hearth & Fire provides complete fireplace design, installation and remodeling throughout Roanoke, Salem, Bedford, Forest, Lynchburg, Smith Mountain Lake, Moneta, Lexington, Blacksburg, Christiansburg and surrounding areas of Southwest and Central Virginia.

We're a local, veteran-owned fireplace company with NFI-certified professionals, and we handle far more than dropping a fireplace into a hole somebody else built.

We can help design the entire system.

Visit our fireplace services page or contact Skyline Hearth & Fire to schedule a free in-home design consultation.

Bring us the Pinterest picture.

Bring us the weird wall.

Bring us the giant TV.

We'll figure out how to make the whole thing work without cooking your electronics.

Frequently Asked Questions About TVs Above Gas Fireplaces

Is it safe to mount a TV above a gas fireplace?

It can be when the specific fireplace, heat-management system, framing, clearances and television requirements are properly addressed. Always follow the listed fireplace installation instructions and the television manufacturer's requirements.

Does a mantel protect a television from fireplace heat?

A correctly sized and positioned mantel can help redirect heat, but it does not replace the fireplace manufacturer's required clearances or an approved heat-management system.

What is a fireplace heat-management system?

A heat-management system redirects convection heat that would otherwise exit near the fireplace opening. Systems such as Kozy Heat's Komfort Zone Kit can move that warm air to another approved location and reduce temperatures on the wall above the fireplace.

Which Kozy Heat fireplaces work well with TVs?

Several Kozy Heat models offer configurations designed with television placement in mind, including the Bellingham and Callaway series. The Generation 6020 uses a required Komfort Zone Kit or approved vented-cavity system as part of its installation. Exact requirements vary by model.

Can Skyline Hearth & Fire design the entire fireplace wall?

Yes. Skyline Hearth & Fire provides fireplace design, installation and remodeling services, including projects involving framing, gas, electrical, venting, mantels and fireplace finishing coordination throughout Roanoke and surrounding Southwest Virginia communities.

Ready to Design a Fireplace Wall That Actually Works?

If you're considering a new gas fireplace, fireplace remodel or complete fireplace-and-TV feature wall, the best time to figure out the details is before the framing, stone, mantel and television are already in place.

At Skyline Hearth & Fire, we help homeowners design the entire fireplace system around the finished look they want — including fireplace selection, framing, gas, electrical, venting, heat management, mantels, hearths and finish work.

Whether you're trying to keep a TV lower above the fireplace, incorporate a Kozy Heat Komfort Zone Kit, remodel an outdated fireplace or completely rebuild the wall from the ground up, we'll help determine what actually works for your home.

Skyline Hearth & Fire proudly serves Roanoke, Salem, Vinton, Bedford, Forest, Lynchburg, Smith Mountain Lake, Moneta, Lexington, Blacksburg, Christiansburg and surrounding areas of Southwest and Central Virginia.

We're a locally owned, family-owned and veteran-owned fireplace company with NFI-certified professionals and more than 20 years of industry experience.

Ready to start designing your fireplace project?



Contact Skyline Hearth & Fire to schedule your free in-home design consultation, or visit our fireplace services page to learn more about our complete fireplace installation and remodeling services.