I am not a professional but having tore up two fireplaces I can say I have an idea of what you may be facing. Both my houses had drywall. There is 2x4 behind there so you will have a stud to mount your tv on. As for an outlet, not sure what code is for that but you should have plenty of room to install that too. To locate the studs you can use the oldfashioned tapping method or you can get a stud finder. Your fireplace is framed in all around it basically.

You are going to have to get the wire behind the wall somehow so I would have to say you are going to have to remove drywall somewhere on the walls. I don't think there is any way to install a new socket without running the wire from another wall over to it. I would think that you could remove say a 12x12 spot directly behind where your mount will be. That way after you do all the wiring, you can patch the hole without it being seen because the tv will hide it.

This pic of my fireplace will give you an idea of what the walls look like- except your pipe will probably be straight up, mine is crooked due to renovations.

{{gwi:1522803}}

Thanks "Shannon01". I don't know if my fireplace has a metal pipe for a chimney or a clay pipe. the house was build in around 78. I will go up on the roof and see what kind of pipe is inside the bricks. Do you know if they framed around the old clay pipe type fireplaces?

Ken

does your fireplace have black metal around the edge. if so it is a pre fab which has metal pipe and is usally stud wall. if it is a masonary fireplace there is probally not much space back there to do so. post a pic of the fireplace and the ousid eof the unit and i will tell what your dealing with. I'm in the business and I have done this many times.