Across the UK, over 5.1 million households* rely on social housing, and for housing providers, ensuring these homes are safe, warm, efficient and compliant has never been more challenging. Rising energy costs, damp and mould concerns, decarbonisation pressures, and tighter regulation all place increasing responsibility on landlords to deliver high performing heating systems that support resident wellbeing.
Yet one of the most significant factors affecting system performance is the quality of the water circulating within it. Sludge is the number one cause of boiler breakdowns, contributing to around 60% of all failures, with 15% of boilers failing every year (DeltaEE). For social housing providers, this represents a major avoidable cost, a risk to compliance, and a direct impact on resident comfort.
As the UK transitions toward low carbon heating technologies, water quality is even more critical. Heat pumps and low temperature systems are more sensitive to blockages, corrosion and poor circulation. BS 7593:2019 recognises this and recommends inhibitors, biocides and continual system protection as a requirement for long-term performance.
For over two decades, ADEY has been at the forefront of best practice in system protection, working extensively with social housing providers, contractors and asset managers to improve heating outcomes. ADEY champions a simple, robust whole life approach: Test, Clean, Protect, Maintain.
“Good water quality management is one of the most effective ways to reduce breakdowns, maintain efficiency and protect residents from cold homes or unexpected system failures. Social landlords are facing more pressure than ever before.
Our role is to provide the evidence, education and practical guidance they need to make informed, compliant decisions that safeguard both homes and residents.” says Amy Patrick, National Sales Manager.
Understanding the real-world impact
The link between poor system health and resident wellbeing is now widely recognised. Damp and mould, for example, often stem from inadequate heating performance or systems that cannot run efficiently at lower temperatures.
Government data shows that 7% of social homes now experience issues with damp (English Housing Survey 24-25). When heating systems are compromised by sludge, corrosion or poor flow, maintaining consistent warmth becomes harder, leading to higher energy use and uncomfortable living conditions.
Maintenance costs also rise significantly with reactive callouts, emergency boiler replacements, and repeat visits placing unnecessary strain on already stretched budgets. By contrast, proactive water quality management supports asset longevity and helps providers meet compliance expectations such as Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) and RdSAP performance, the Home Energy Model and net zero targets.
A holistic approach, backed by evidence
ADEY’s Test, Clean, Protect, Maintain framework gives housing teams a clear roadmap to long-term system health:
• TEST: Tools like ADEY ProCheck offer rapid onsite water testing, providing real data that supports decision making and compliance
• CLEAN: Removing sludge and debris restores system efficiency reducing resident complaints
• PROTECT: Magnetic filtration and use of inhibitors and biocides guard against future issues, as recommended by BS 7593:2019
• MAINTAIN: Regular servicing and water testing ensures systems continue to perform, protecting assets and residents
This approach supports social housing providers with the knowledge, insight and guidance needed to reduce risk.
Proven protection for safer compliant homes
ADEY’s role in the sector extends far beyond products. Working directly with asset managers, compliance leads and contractor teams ADEY help them understand the condition of their heating stock, identify systemic risks, and put in place longterm strategies for improvement. From CPD accredited training and education to estate wide water quality reviews, support is available for organisations in building resilience across their housing portfolios.
ADEY is actively working with social landlords to assess challenges around system health and energy performance, helping translate technical findings into clear, practical compliance decisions. Housing providers looking to strengthen asset performance, reduce failures, and improve resident outcomes can now book a dedicated portfolio review with ADEY.
For details on how to book, visit: adey.com/social-housing
*Social Housing RMI Market Report - UK 2024-2028, AMA Research (Barbour ABI)
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