Can I hang an indoor TV outside?

The short answer is no, you should not!  I get this question asked almost weekly, I thought it would be a good idea to discuss this as we are in spring and now is the time, I am selling lots of outdoor TV and music systems.

Can you hang a indoor TV outside, you can, no one will stop you?  Buy that cheap TV and if it breaks you just replace it, right? No one is going to raid the house and take that cheap Vizio off the porch.  The TV will work if its covered and has the power it needs to run, if you have strong Wi-Fi you connect it to the internet and you are good to go.  Can you hire someone to do it for you, absolutely? We did it for years, probably hung a hundred TVs outside on coverage porches or screen porches.  Will it void the warranty, yes?  Will it die prematurely, yes? Is it a fire risk, yes? The number one reason people install indoor TVs outside is cost.  TVs are responsible these days, you can get a large display for a few hundred bucks. “I can buy two TVs for the cost of one outside TV, right? Why doesn’t that make sense to do? 

There is a local dealer like me that installed an indoor TV outside and eventually a bird nest showed up behind the set.  That nest, hidden behind the TV, caught on fire, burned half the house down, million dollars in damage.  Insurance adjuster came out and denied the claim because the TV was not outdoor rated.  Now, this is worse case, but a story worth telling.  This case caused a loss of a home that couldn’t be recouped without of out-of-pocket big bucks.  Who is at fault, the owner that wanted the TV outside or the dealer that sold and installed it?

I suggest doing it right the first time with a good investment in all the time you will cherish and enjoy that entertainment outside.

Here are a few reasons outdoor TV are a better choice.

1.       Outdoor TV just look better.  They are much brighter and designed with glare resistant screens, so viewing is optimal in shade or direct sun.

2.       The TVs are sold at multiple price points based on needs.  A TV designed for screen porch or patio that is covered is priced like a nice mid-range set.  Then if you have full sun situation the price goes up, but demand and expectations are met.

3.       One TV to last years, and brands like Sunbrite are serviceable.  I have sold many of these and in the rare occasions when one got a power surge or some other issue, it was fixed in the field.  This is also much better for the impact on the environment.  Instead of three four cheap TVs you buy one.

4.       Last is they are weather resistant and waterproof.  All that humidity, moisture, rain, snow and even pollen never gets in the TV.

I hope this help clear up the questions a bit and help you as a homeowner make the best decisions.