Engineering-Level Expertise You Can Trust.

When you choose Richard from Soot Happens, you’re not just hiring a HETAS qualified and approved chimney sweep — you’re bringing decades of maintenance experience and a lifelong commitment to fire safety into your home.

Richard began his working life servicing and maintaining the historic pot banks of Staffordshire, learning the value of hands-on work, reliability, and precision from day one. He complete a recognised engineering apprenticeship and spent over 20 years working for major engineering companies like Goodwin International and BAE Systems, mastering the skills that now ensure every chimney he inspects is handled with unmatched professionalism.

But Richard’s dedication to safety goes even deeper — as a local on-call firefighter, he saw first-hand how preventable fires can devastate lives. That experience shaped his mission:

To help homeowners protect what matters most.

Whether it’s a routine sweep, a new homeowner inspection, or expert maintenance, Richard combines engineering excellence with fire safety expertise to deliver a service that’s thorough, honest, and dependable.