I am a renter in a beautiful duplex brownstone in Carroll Gardens. We have exposed brick walls in the kitchen, with a non-working brick fireplace. The owner has chosen not to seal the interior brick.

Does anyone know of what to do about crumbling bricks in a brownstone? If you touch the bricks (a few in the back and in the basement), they just crumble. I suspect some sort of water damage???

Brick houses may be sturdier than traditional wood-framed builds, but they need frequent maintenance to keep them stable. Most importantly, homeowners are being urged to check the mortar at the start ...