Everyone hates bills, but they are an unavoidable part of life.
If you’re looking for ways to save money on your DEWA bills, especially when living in an expensive city like Dubai, we have something for you!
DEWA has launched the ‘Make Smart Summer Choices Your Habit’ campaign, which provides customers with valuable tips on how to effectively manage their electricity and water consumption. This initiative is in accordance with the UAE President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s announcement of The Year of Sustainability, emphasizing the significance of promoting sustainable practices.
Save money on your DEWA bill
Did you know residents of Dubai can make use of the service offered by the Dubai Energy and Water Authority (DEWA) to monitor their home’s water and electricity usage even when they are not in the United Arab Emirates?
You can save money on your DEWA bill by taking advantage of one hack when you leave Dubai for an extended period, such as a staycation or holiday.
In the DEWA app or website, activate “Away” mode. By using the handy Away mode, you can keep track of any DEWA disasters (such as leaks) even when you are not at home.
What is the ‘Away Mode’?
A component of Dewa’s “Smart Living” programme is the “Away Mode.” This feature helps you to closely monitor electricity and water consumption and will notify you of any unusual consumption while you’re away.
Customers can choose the duration for which the “Away Mode” will be engaged. The updates will be sent via email on a daily or weekly basis (based on how you choose).
In the event you have signed up for DEWA notifications on the app and enabled location tracking on your mobile phone, you will receive a text when you arrive at DXB or Abu Dhabi airport you will receive a text message alerting you to turn on Away Mode.
Is there a way to alert Dewa if your water and electricity consumption increase?
You can make a call to Dewa’s helpdesk at 04 601 9999 and ask for the “Consumption Verification for Electricity/Water” service. You can report any odd consumption that occurs while you are away.
An onsite visit from a member of Dewa’s technical staff can provide you with an overview of your household’s energy consumption. However, depending on the size or kind of meter, an onsite visit has a service fee of Dh30 to Dh75.
Dewa’s My Sustainable Living Program
Dewa’s My Sustainable Living Program is perfect for those looking to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. To be a part of it, log on to your Dewa account and go to ‘My Sustainable Living Program’ at the bottom left.
The first necessary step is to update your Consumption Profile. For that, you need to answer a series of questions including the following:
- How many people live in your home?
- How many people under 18 live in your home?
- How many bedrooms are there in your home?
- Can you estimate the surface area of your home (in m²)?
- If you live in a villa, do you have your own swimming pool?
- If you live in a villa, do you have your own garden?
- During the year, which months do you usually go out for vacation?
- How long is your vacation per trip?
In the next step, click on ‘Configure your saving plan’ to get a series of tips to save electricity and water consumption in your house. Choose the ones you want to implement, and they will be saved under ‘my saving plan’.
Dewa’s “Similar home comparison”
Another feature worth noting in Dewa’s dashboard is the monthly similar home comparison, which compares your own consumption of both electricity and water to that of other homes in your area of residence.
What else..
We have some more tips for you on how to reduce your Dewa bills.
1. Be mindful of the peak load hours
As per Dewa, Dubai uses most of the electricity between 12:00 pm and 5:00 pm in summer. This time is called the peak-load hours.
- One essential tip to save on electricity bills in Dubai is to reduce the use of non-important appliances during this time. You can delay tasks until after 5pm or get them done before 12pm, especially during the summer months (June – Sept).
- Avoid using irons, washing machines, dishwashers, water heaters and electric ovens in these peak hours in Dubai.
2. Use Air Conditioning wisely
Another money-saving tip regarding utility bills in Dubai is to use air conditioners wisely. Air conditioning is a must in Dubai during the scorching summers, but you can still save on your energy bill:
- Don’t go any lower than 24°C: The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) suggests homeowners to avoid setting the device to any figure lower than 24°C. The higher the temperature is, the lower is cost of air conditioning.
- Use a programmable thermostat: Smart thermostats that include climate control will help to automatically manage the system to ensure the AC is not wasting unnecessary energy, but the humidity is still controlled. It will help you keep the temperature moderate and turn off the cooling when not needed.
- Keep your AC filters clean: Make sure your AC filters are clean and well maintained. Over time filters get clogged with dust and dirt that hinder its filtering process, forcing you to bump up the cooling and using up extra power. It could add 5 – 15% to your air-conditioning bill.
- DEWA advises customers to consider replacing air conditioners that are 10 years or older with newer, energy-efficient models. They also emphasize the importance of regularly cleaning AC filters to minimize energy usage.
- Make use of fans: Ceiling fans and electric fans will help keep the air cool and circulating in your house and also slash your energy bill.
- Make sure all your house windows and doors are properly shut when air conditioning is on; this will make the air conditioners more energy-efficient.
3. Avoid leaving the appliances on standby
- Experts say that any appliances which are on but not being used will consume 5% of your household’s electricity.
- Turn off your devices when they are not being used. Unplug personal computers, electronic devices and chargers when they aren’t in use.
- You can also invest in a smart power strip that shuts down your devices when they are in ‘sleep’ mode.
- Don’t keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold. It is recommended to keep the fresh food compartment of your fridge 4ºC and the freezer-10ºC.
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4. Use water sensibly
By using water in a smart way, you can save a considerable amount each year on your Dewa bills in Dubai:
- Water your plants at the right time: The best time to water your plants is early in the morning (before 8am) or in the evening (6pm onwards). This ensures that water doesn’t evaporate quickly.
- Check for leaks regularly: Repair a leaky toilet to save water. Leaky faucets that drip at the rate of one drop per second can waste up to 2,700 gallons of water per year.
- Install showerheads and faucet aerators with less flow. While low-flow showerheads reduce the consumption of water by 70%, aerators decrease the volume of water falling from the faucet.
- Switch off water heaters on time.
- While rinsing vegetables, use a bowl of water instead of under a running tap.
- Run the machine only when you have a full load.
- Choose a high efficiency 4 or 5-star front-loading washing machine if you’re looking to upgrade. A high efficiency front loader uses an average 50 litres per load.
- Wash your clothes in warm rathe than hot water; this will decrease your consumption by 50%.
5. Switch to energy-saving lights and appliances
Consider using energy-efficient bulbs to save 75 percent of energy use. Compact Fluorescent Lighting (CFL) is a popular option.
Halogen incandescent, CFL and LED light bulbs come in different shapes, styles and sizes to suit every home or commercial space. These lights consume way less energy compared to traditional bulbs.
DEWA recommends adopting energy-saving cooking practices such as utilizing a microwave instead of an oven, opting for pressure cookers, and using flat-bottom pans with tightly sealed lids. These choices help minimize energy consumption during the cooking process.
