When not to mount a TV?

Do not mount a TV in the following situations:

Over a hot fireplace: If the wall feels warm to the touch (over 104°F) while the fire is burning, the rising heat will bake the electronics inside, shorten the TV’s lifespan, and void your warranty.

On hollow drywall without wall studs: If you cannot anchor directly into solid wood or metal beams, do not mount a heavy TV or any TV on a swivel arm. Screws in bare drywall will eventually crack the wall and pull right out.

On a wall with a hidden pocket door: If a sliding door disappears inside the wall, standard mounting screws will poke through into the hidden track, scratching the door or pinning it shut.

Too high up on the wall: If you have to crane your neck backward to look up at the screen (like sitting in the front row of a movie theater), it will cause neck and eye strain. The center of the screen should sit roughly at eye level when you are seated.

In wet, steamy, or outdoor spaces: Standard indoor TVs are not waterproof. Steam in a bathroom or humidity on an outdoor patio will get inside the TV’s vents and short-circuit the circuit boards.

Directly opposite a bright, sunny window: Direct sunlight washes out the picture with severe glare and can bake the screen surface, damaging its anti-glare coating.

Where you might hit hidden pipes or wires: Never drill blindly if you suspect plumbing pipes, gas lines, or live electrical wires are running inside that section of the wall.