Chimney cinder blocks appearing through stucco

[jonostang]

Hi there, first time post.

I have a chimney whose cinderblock joints started appearing through the stucco in the last year.

Would you know what is happening here? Is this a stucco job or a rebuild of the chimney?

 

[begreen]

Could be moisture seeping into and softening the mortar. Have a mason come out and see if a basic repointing is sufficient. Are there signs of water intrusion inside the chimney?

 

[jonostang]

Maybe (likely). I live in central florida and the rains are pretty strong. We've not had a hurricane but have had very strong rainy winds. By that I mean that it's raining and the the water is being pushed horizontally into walls so it may be that this combination is pushing water into the chimney. It's from 1984 so whatever protection it has may have worn out.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I’d get it inspected to see if repointing will be sufficient, but have them check the top for leaks. It’s odd if all that showed Up in a year and might point to structural issues.