Fireplace Facade Teardown (Metal Heatlolater Type) and Re-Build-Need Advice on this and More

[brink]

In January I replaced a propane insert with an Osburn 1800 wood insert. I started a post a few weeks ago based on installing stone veneer over my brick fireplace that houses the Obsurn. Once I poked around the brick I noticed some were loose, so I decided to tear down the whole thing. Since I knew there is a metal heatloater behind it, and the previous owner did some hacking to remove the damper for the old propane insert, I wanted to see behind the brick anyway.

I want to stone veneer in place of the brick, and here is my plan:

-Install steel studs vertically "on the flat" (for Osburn 1800 frontal clearance issues in the metal firebox with finished stone.)
-Cover the studs with 1/2" Durock and seal the seams and cut openings for the heatlolater holes both top and bottom.
-wire lath over the durock per stone veneer mfg.
-Install stone veneer on face and blue or brown stone on the hearth.

I need help with the following questions:

1)Is it ok for the steel studs to make minimal contact with the front of the metal heatolater? I will need to install some studs horizontally above the firebox and will need to trim the studs thinner than their 2-5/8' width. (The heatolater unit protrudes out). I will not attach any of the steel studs to the cinder block chimney, but to the wood framing (header) and hearth bricks.

2)I plan to use the old heatolater holes since heat was coming out of them from whatever accumulates above the stove insert. I want to cut the metal between the holes to form an oval so I can reach in to attach the flex liner adapter. (The metal heatolater tubes had been removed by the previous owner). The Osburn is a tight fit and getting my hands on top of the insert to attach the flex adapter is no fun. I thought of cutting about 2 inches out along the front top edge of the metal heatolater firebox to gain clearance, but I'm not sure if thats a good idea.

3)When I installed the Osburn 1800 in January, I was informed by someone from this site that it would be ok to use un-faced fiberglass insulation around the flex chimney above the insert to keep heat from escaping up the chimney. I did so and it seemed to work fine. However when recently checking the fiberglass insulation, it had turn white (from pink), around where it contacted the flex liner. Is this normal?

4) The stainless flex adapter and some of the flex liner has turned a nice shade of tan/brown. Is this normal?

5) Anyone know where to buy black metal grates / grills to cover the heatolater holes once the stone is on?

Please see the picture for a better idea of what I am trying to describe.

Thank you in advance for any thoughts/ideas/help on this. Everyone on this site has really helped me allot over the past year.

 

[branchburner]

I was informed by someone from this site that it would be ok to use un-faced fiberglass insulation around the flex chimney above the insert to keep heat from escaping up the chimney. I did so and it seemed to work fine. However when recently checking the fiberglass insulation, it had turn white (from pink), around where it contacted the flex liner. Is this normal?

Some say fiberglass is ok, but many suggest a metal block-off plate and mineral wool insulation.

 

[jtp10181]

The melting point for fiberglass insulation is well below the 2100 deg temp the chimney liner is tested to. This is why fiberglass is not recommended to be used around wood chimney liners.