After removing the brick liner for cleaning, I found a rectangle of white insulation behind the center liner panel. The manual says removal of the panel and vacuuming behind it are part of annual maintenance. Is it possible that the insulation is asbestos? See attached photos.
Best Answer
It doesn't look like asbestos; it also does not seem likely that a stove manufactured that recently would incorporate asbestos in a "user serviceable" area. Problem is that some countries still do not regulate asbestos. The only way to know for sure is to ask the maker or have it analyzed at a lab.
It does look like it could be refractory ceramic fiber (RCF) wool, which is also used as insulating material and is a suspected carcinogen when airborne particles are inhaled. I think it's mostly a problem with chronic industrial exposure in the workplace, and is not an issue unless/until it has been "fired" above certain temperatures.