Insulating the fire box

[Dane Snyder]

I'm brand new here, and I'm pretty uninitiated to wood burning inserts. Mine was manufactured in Oct of 1994. It's an Energy King Bay 2000.
It was in the home 7 years ago when I bought it.
I am doing some cleaning/renovations to my living room, and so I took down the metal cover around the insert that overlaps the front of the fireplace brick and I saw that the only insulation was the small strips where the metal cover contacted the brick and top of the fire box.
There's about a 3" gap all around the box to the bricks of the side of the fireplace opening
Can I stuff fiverglass insulation, Kaowool, or something of that sort in there, or is that air gap required for the insert's operation?
I've read a lot of threads on this forum thus far and feel like I've "almost" found my answer. I'm just not confident that I have a solid enough of an answer.
Can I insulate between the insert firebox and the sides of the opening of my fireplace, and if so, whats the best material to use?

 

[begreen]

Is the insert connected to the chimney or does the insert have a full, stainless liner on it? Or is there nothing at all?

If it has a full liner and this is an exterior wall chimney, then installing an insulated block-off plate in the damper area will be most effective. Some roxul or kaowool could also be added in the back and sides if desired. If it doesn't have a full ss liner, that's the first priority.

 

[Dane Snyder]

Is the insert connected to the chimney or does the insert have a full, stainless liner on it? Or is there nothing at allIt

Is the insert connected to the chimney or does the insert have a full, stainless liner on it? Or is there nothing at all?

It sits in the old fireplace connected to a pipe going up the length of the chimney. I'm not sure what you mean by "full, stainless liner."

 

[begreen]

If the pipe is stainless steel, then it sounds like it has a full liner.

 

[Dane Snyder]

If the pipe is stainless steel, then it sounds like it has a full liner.

This is the gap I want to fill with insulation.

 

[ericm979]

Don't you want air flowing through there to move heat from the stove into the room?

 

[bholler]

This is the gap I want to fill with insulation.

View attachment 287305

No insulation is required there what you want is a plate at the top of the fireplace where the damper was.

 

[Dane Snyder]

Don't you want air flowing through there to move heat from the stove into the room?

It's a forced air insert.

 

[Dane Snyder]

No insulation is required there what you want is a plate at the top of the fireplace where the damper was.

I see. So there may be a closure in the bottom of the chimney that keeps the air from passing?
I know a LOT OF STUFF, but this ain't any of it.

 

[bholler]

I see. So there may be a closure in the bottom of the chimney that keeps the air from passing?
I know a LOT OF STUFF, but this ain't any of it.

There may be if the person who installed the liner cared enough to put one in. But many do not