Insert Installation Sequence

Building on Lesson 6’s measurement discipline: insert installation follows confirming the existing opening dimensions, verifying or installing the required full-height flue liner (introduced from a sales perspective elsewhere in this academy), sliding the insert into place and securing it per manufacturer instructions, connecting the liner to the insert’s flue collar, and installing the surround/faceplate to seal the gap.

Liner Connection Details

The connection between the insert’s flue collar and the liner is a specific, manufacturer-detailed connection (often a specific block-off plate and connector kit) — an improperly sealed connection here can allow combustion gases to escape into the space between the insert and the original masonry rather than venting fully up the liner.

The Block-Off Plate

A block-off plate seals the area above the insert and below the damper/smoke chamber opening, preventing room air loss up an otherwise-open masonry flue area around the liner and improving the insert’s actual efficiency — omitting this component, even though the insert may function without it, means the customer doesn’t get the efficiency performance the insert was sold to deliver.

Confirming Seal and Fit of the Surround

The surround/faceplate (introduced from a sales perspective elsewhere in this academy) needs to seal properly against both the insert and the surrounding masonry — a poorly fitted surround is both an aesthetic flaw and, depending on design, can affect the insert’s intended air-sealing performance.