Another OAK advantage

We have a Mt Vernon AE insert. Didn't run an OAK initially, but decided last fall to add one (also up the chimney). While looking into it, found that the metal plate holding the vent pipe in the chimney flue opening didn't cover the entire opening. Also, where the vert went through the damper just had some fiberglass shoved around it. Bottom line - a one foot square hole at the top, an open damper with porous insulation at the bottom - might have just as well left a window wide open! Certainly explained why the floor around the insert was always cold. The OAK plate now totally caps the top. What a difference! We even get some radiant warming from the chimney into the bedroom and library on the second floor (we keep the doors to those rooms shut as we like them cool, so it's easy to notice the difference on cold nights).

That prob made a huge improvement!! gotta love getting more heat, with an easy upgrade.

Is there a bottom block off plate? Some people do one up top and down below. Along with insulating the bottom plate.

This makes all the radiant, go into the block surrounding it, which makes convection air temps higher.

Is this an outside wall chimney? Or does it travel up the center of the house? If center, the masonry won't be as cold, and bottom plate, no so important.

Center chimney. Never got the repair dudes to admit to any option for the bottom other than a bunch of fiberglass.

Did notice one small disadvantage - because the whole chimney is now retaining heat, had more snow melt around it than on the rest of the roof. Potentaiil could have an ice dam problem after a big storm. Of course, the way the storms are going lately, my daughter in Boston and my brother in Kansas City are seeing way more snow than we do. Attaching a pic of the "34 inches of snow" I sent them after Nemo hit.

Whoops - pic didn't attach. Trying again,

You measuring the air above the snow?

It's how the ski areas do it here . . .