New Pellet Insert Owner - A few questions...

[kbvw]

Greetings all-
I have a new-to-me Harman P35i-C I will be installing.
Tile hearth extension and mantle will be going in soon, the pics are for reference during test fit.
I am going to be covering up this brick with concrete.
- Are there any foreseeable issues by covering up the existing passive convection vents (both intake and exhaust pics #1 and #2)?
- When installing the chimney liner, what is the general consensus on pipe insulation?
-My existing chimney has a rain cap similar to the 3rd picture (that is not my roof). Is it standard to remove this and install a new cap that attaches to the liner, or is it code to terminate it into the existing cap space with, say, the open end of the liner/flue pipe?
-I also have an oil furnace, separate venting chimney, but shared structure. They do not share the same flue. Anything else I should be considering before I install?
-Does the existing chimney flue need to be cleaned before installing the liner, or would this be redundant?
Thanks so much for your input.

 

[rickwai]

- Yes get the existing flue cleaned. If not it will be trickling the creosote/ash down onto the back of your stove.
- Measure your clay flue and get a collar plate for that size. it glues down to the top of the clay flue and has a stub up in the middle with a built in clamp to hold the liner and a cap clamps on over top of that.
- you can cover the convection vents. It has no affect on the pellet stove.