I've identified our wood-burning fireplace as a Majestic WM36, installed in the 1980s. As you can see in the pic, it is enclosed in wall-to-wall MDF cabinetry. With strong rain and wind we were getting some water on top of the cabinets. We re-caulked the storm collar on the roof to hopefully end that issue. I also cut out a section of the ceiling to get rid of what was somewhat moldy drywall. The chimney was wrapped with fiberglass insulation and then the flexible plywood (black) in the final pic. I tossed out the insulation as it was dirty, and can now see where the water was entering through the gap between the firestop and chimney. A couple of questions as I contemplate putting this all back together: Can and/or should I seal that gap to prevent further leaks? I'm thinking that would prevent the original issue from reoccurring, but then I might just have water sitting in my ceiling. There are also gaps around the firestop sides. Problem? I'm also wondering if I can/should just leave the chimney exposed rather than re-wrapping with insulation. Finally, we have always had a heck of a time getting a good updraft in this fireplace. Is there anything I should look at in that regard while I've got things exposed? Thanks for any advice.
