Chimney & Fireplace Services in Santa Monica

That depends on what the crack is doing. A fine hairline crack that is not changing is common and may be nothing more than the finish moving. A crack that widens, stains after rain or sits alongside a bulge suggests the brick or the crown behind it is taking water. The stucco is easy to patch, but patching over a wet joint only hides the problem for a while.

If anyone might ever light it, yes. CSIA's homeowner guidance says the annual inspection standard applies even to chimneys that see little use, because animals can nest in a flue and deterioration continues without fire. If the fireplace genuinely will never be used, the conversation becomes one about sealing it properly, and in a condominium that decision usually sits with the association as much as the owner.