Fireplace ducted throughout entire house

[mainer_in_ak]

Any insert that can't be damped down, they run too hot, to the point where metal becomes glowing orange, ruining the metal and firebricks.

At least inspect it for cracks or damaged firebricks, or sagging metal from running too hot.

 

[dangerousatom]

S&S_Work_Saws​

"The current setup is heavy gauge steel with a sheet metal and then Brick surround until about the ceiling. Once it gets to the attic it transitions into a 12" cement lined double wall chimney pipe.​

Sounding like an insert in the only logical way to move forward and get efficient heat. Blows my mind still that someone put all of this work into the ducting and everything around a basic fireplace.
I've got a project at work that the homeowner is about to remove an insert and replace it with a gas burning setup. Maybe he'll sell me that one."

Sounds like it maybe full brick inside behinds the current insert-ish setup. It may have been that the previous owner had no way to put doors on it without spending big bucks or just didnt inquire in the right place. Or when the interior was bricked it was not aesthetically pleasing, thats easily fixed with something like oven tile and fire cement. You may find it just needs good sealing doors........that IMO would be the best all around solution.

Hoping this works out for you on the cheap whatever way it goes.

 

[S&S_Work_Saws]

None of my business so feel free to tell me to pound salt but did they pay or slither off?

They paid out. They were great actually. They had us paid out within 2-3 weeks and our rates haven't even gone up at all. That's the first insurance claim we've ever had though.