Does this Chimney Stack Need to Come Down?

Hello all,
Is this chimney stack in as bad of shape as it looks? There’s this weird, dark-colored mortar in some spots that’s crumbling in certain areas, but feels solid in others. Upon closer inspection, there’s a couple bricks towards the middle-bottom on one side that could be removed by hand because their mortar is mostly gone, and it looks like it’s been heavily tuckpointed many, many times in its life already. The chimney is about 100 years old.
I have a lot of questions.
Does it need to be dismantled? Is it on the verge of collapse? Is it worth trying to repair by removing all the loose mortar and filling in any empty spots? Will that be enough? Does insurance cover it falling on the house? If it’s rebuilt, does it need to be this tall? It’s only used as a stack for the furnace nowadays. Thanks in advance.
Replies
It certainly looks like it could use some attention.
a local chimney outfit could give you an opinion and an estimate. good idea to have it inspected in detail if there is a combustion appliance of any kind venting through it.
You might want a new liner
the brickwork should be fine for another hundred years if properly cared for. it looks like some of the mortar used for patching may not match the original.
Insurance coverage questions need to go to your insurance company.
Get a local mason to look at it and it would be a good idea to get multiple opinions. Even if it's not about to fall down, it's very likely leaking. Chimney height requirements may vary by location and the masons are your best bet for getting that answer. When I had a chimney rebuilt, it actually went up taller because it had to have certain clearance above the ridge.
OR replace your furnace with a tankless unit that vents out the side of the house, get the chimney taken down, and roof over the hole. With a chimney that size, it may be cheaper than rebuilding and you're eliminating what is arguably the most troublesome part of the roof, the chimney flashing. That's my dream.