Wall-mounted electric fireplaces. These electric fireplace units are similar to all other electric fireplaces in terms of functionality but differ based on how you should install them. Unlike other electric fireplaces, wall-mounted units are only to be installed off the ground and onto a wall.
In recent times, wall-mounted electric fireplaces are gaining popularity among the masses, and it is easy to tell why. These units are modern and stylish. Surprisingly, even with their rise in popularity, many individuals are still skeptical about them based on their installation process.
Contrary to what many individuals assume, installing a wall-mounted electric fireplace is quite simple if you have a guide. For installation, you only need to mount the unit on a wall like how you would do a picture or flat screen T.V.
Can you install a wall-mounted electric fireplace alone?
Yes, you definitely can. You can install a wall-mounted electric fireplace as a DIY project. That is because installing a wall-mounted electric fireplace does not involve any alterations to the structure of your house. Nonetheless, you might need a hand from a friend or relative if you are installing a wall-mounted electric fireplace that is large and heavy.
Installation steps
Installing a wall-mounted electric fireplace can be broken down into simple steps. Here is a brief breakdown of the steps we used when installing our wall-mounted electric fireplace:
- Identify the right location to mount the unit
- Clear the space around the identified ideal location
- Assemble all the necessary tools
- Test if the wall-mounted works
- Mark out the location of holes in the wall
- Drill the holes and fit the hanging screws or bracket
- Mount the unit onto the wall using the screw or bracket
- Finally, plug in the mounted unit and enjoy
If you would like an in-depth breakdown of the installation process we took, keep reading as we have touched on that next.
Identify the right location to mount the unit.
The first step to installing a wall-mounted electric fireplace is to scan your house to identify the most suitable location. The most-suitable mounting location for a wall-mounted electric fireplace is a location that is in the ideal room, on the right wall, and at the right height off the ground.
When scanning your house, begin by identifying the ideal room for your unit and then proceed to find the right wall in that room. Here are some pointers to identify the right wall:
- A wall that is big enough to fit your electric fireplace and any additional appliance you would want to install, such as a T.V
- A wall that has a power outlet nearby
Now that you have picked the right wall for your wall-mounted unit. Find the ideal location on the wall. The mounting location you choose should be away from moisture. In addition, the mounting location should be at the correct height off the floor.
How high should you mount an electric fireplace?
The right height off the floor is essential since it determines how the unit will look aesthetically and how it will score functionally. Based on our experience, these are the ideal heights for different situations:
- A traditional wall-mounted electric fireplace in a living room should be 6 to 12 inches off the floor. While one in the bedroom should be 24 to 36 inches off the floor.
- A linear electric fireplace should be 12 to 30 inches off the floor. However, if it is in a dining room, it should be approximately 36 inches off the floor.
- If you want to mount the unit below a T.V., the bottom of the T.V. should be 42 inches off the floor, and then you have all the available space below to mount the unit.
- If you are mounting the unit in a wall with a low ceiling, ensure you mount the unit below the halfway line of the wall, preferably on the lower third.
Even with our recommendation, you will need to remember that the right height to mount your unit depends on what appeals to you. The only rule for the correct height off the floor for installing wall-mounted electric fireplaces is that the mounted unit should be at eye level or below eye level. That is because the flames on an electric fireplace look best when one looks into or down on them.
The other essential factors to consider when picking the location on the wall is where your unit releases heat from and which other appliance will be around the mounted unit. For instance, you should not install an electric fireplace unit that gives off heat from the top, under a power outlet, or T.V. This is because the unit’s electrical cord can heat up and cause a fire. Alternatively, you can change the location of installing such a unit, or you should use a wall-mounted electric fireplace that releases heat from the front or bottom.
- Clear the space around
Next, remove any combustible materials like curtains, furniture, and pillows from around the location of installing the unit. The rule of thumb is that any flammable materials should be 3 feet away from the front side of the mounted unit and 1.5 feet away from its sides.
- Assemble all the necessary tools
After clearing the space around the location of installing the unit, you will need to assemble all the tools you will use for the installation process. The tools we used when we installed our wall-mounted electric fireplace included:
- Electric drill
- Tape measure
- Pencil/marker
- Stud finder
- Carpenter’s level
- Pipe and cable finder
- Go through the user’s manual
Once you have all the necessary tools assembled, go through the user’s manual. This step is essential to help you understand how you should mount the unit specifically. That is because different wall-mounted electric fireplace models have differing requirements. Some units might need you to mount them directly onto the wall with screws, while others might need to mount them with brackets.
- Put the unit to test
Now, onto the final step before you begin the actual installation process. Plug your unit into the power outlet and check if the flames and heater operate optimally. That is essential since we would not want you to finish installing a wall-mounted unit only to find out it does not work.
- Mark out the location of the holes
To begin the actual process, mark the location of holes where hanging screws or bracket screws for the wall-mounted unit will go. Use the measurements stated in your user’s manual, a tape measure, a carpenter’s lever, and a pencil/marker to outline where the holes will be.
When marking out the location of holes, make sure you use a spud finder to identify the spuds where the screws will go into if you have a spud wall. Alternatively, use a metal detector if you have a plaster wall in your home. Additionally, remember to use the pipe and wire finder to ensure you will be drilling in a safe location.
- Drill the holes and fit the hanging screws/bracket
Using the electric drill, drill the marked-out holes and install plugs into them. If your unit is to be installed directly onto the wall, install the hanging screws on the wall and let them rest for 15 minutes. On the other hand, you should install your wall-mounted unit using brackets. First, secure the mounting brackets to the wall using screws.
- Mount the fireplace
If your unit should be installed on the wall directly, look for hanging slots on the back of the wall-mounted unit, align them with the screws on the wall and mount the unit. If your wall-mounted unit should be installed on the wall using a mounting bracket, align the mounting bracket found on the wall-mounted unit to the mounting bracket installed on the wall and mount the unit.
- plug in the unit
Plug in the power cord of the wall-mounted unit directly to the power outlet and test if the unit functions as it should. Remember, you should never use an extension cord, power surge protector, or similar appliance to connect the wall-mounted unit to the power source. That is because those appliances can overheat over time and explode to cause a fire.
Final touch
The final touch involves covering the wiring in the fireplace, especially if your power outlet is not behind the unit and leaves the power cord exposed and looking untidy. For proper cable management, we advise you either use paintable wire covers to camouflage the exposed wiring or consider installing a new power outlet near the unit to allow you to tuck the cables behind the wall-mounted unit. Both options will cover the exposed wiring and will leave your wall-mounted electric fireplace looking neat.
Conclusion
In all honesty, different wall-mounted electric fireplace models have differing mounting methods. Luckily, with a few tweaks, the general steps provided in this guide are applicable. That aside, after going through this guide, we are convinced that securely mounting your electric fireplace is now a piece of cake. All that remains is for you to sit back and enjoy your newly mounted unit.
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