I'm lost in my chimney...

[caninedetections]

Hi, Im new here to the forums and also new to my fireplace insert. I have had wood burning stoves all my life and i just purchased a home with a fireplace wood burning insert. I have found it was installed in 1978, when i pull out the insert to look up the brick chimney it has a clay liner and i have had that inspected and chimney itself is in good working condition. The fire place insert also is in good working condition. Here is my question with the insert pulled out off of the hearth I have this big opening in my brick where fire place was and insert gets slid into place in that opening looking up at the bottom of my chimney i have a metal v shaped piece that funnels the smoke into the chimney it also has a damper that is attached to this v shaped piece Im guessing that is a damper that was used for the original fire place, But what is that whole v shaped thing called??? The reason being is mine has a hole rusted in it and i can see some kind of insulation in the rusted hole and if i push my finger in the hole i can feel a steel backing behind the insulation. and what can i do to fix that hole its the size of my fist. Thanks for any info. I almost forgot to mention my insert is a sears and robuck model has a square hole on top the fire box so i cant use a stove pipe on it and just run it up into my chimney.

 

[jb6l6gc]

Sounds like a slammer install. Will need a chimney liner for sure to be safe and to code. From the sounds of your knowledge I would recommend calling a certified sweep or your local hearth shop to come out and have a look.