Hi folks, I'm new to the forum. As a background, I installed a solar roof 2 years ago and am pretty much energy neutral for half the year. To try and cut down on winter energy (heat pump is very inefficient in very cold weather), I had a Jotul F100 installed in an old masonry coal fireplace for supplemental heat. I made it through the break-in process and have kept the house warm enough the past couple nights despite lows in the upper 30s.
My question: I have an insulated liner that goes up through a clay flue, but I must be losing a bunch of heat around the liner. I went to the chimney shop where I bought my stove, and the guy said to buy some fiberglass insulation from Home Depot to stuff around it (leaving a 1" gap around the liner itself). I read some posts on the forum here that made me question this advice. What are your thoughts? I've posted a couple photos below.
My question: I have an insulated liner that goes up through a clay flue, but I must be losing a bunch of heat around the liner. I went to the chimney shop where I bought my stove, and the guy said to buy some fiberglass insulation from Home Depot to stuff around it (leaving a 1" gap around the liner itself). I read some posts on the forum here that made me question this advice. What are your thoughts? I've posted a couple photos below.