Chimney mortar crumbling or deteriorating
hard 3–8 h
Steps
- Inspect from the ground with binoculars first, then from a ladder set beside the chimney — not on the roof — and note whether the damage is a few joints or every joint.
+5 more steps in the full guide
Stop and call a pro if
- the chimney is above one storey and cannot be reached from a ladder — that is scaffold or roof work
Rules in the US: Pre-1930 brick needs a soft lime mortar; hard portland mortar cracks the old brick within a few winters.