Do you want to save money on your electricity bill this summer? Try Dewa’s new assessment instrument

Warmer weather is approaching, which means turning up the air conditioning and taking cold showers. You may notice an increase in your electricity usage throughout the summer, resulting in a hefty utility bill. However, you can save money on your electricity bills this summer by using the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s ‘Consumption Assessment Tool’ (Dewa).

Customers can use the assessment tool to track their electricity usage at home and make more sustainable decisions based on personalized conservation advice. On Tuesday, April 5, DEWA announced the launch of the new function on their official Instagram account.

So, to avoid a hefty utility bill this summer, here are some useful recommendations for lowering your electricity cost, as well as how to use the ‘Consumption Assessment Tool.’

What is the Dewa Consumption Assessment Tool and how do I use it?

The goal of the consumption assessment tool is to assist consumers to understand their water and power usage patterns so they can focus on lowering their utility bills. Follow these steps to get the most out of the assessment tool:

1. Go to https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/strategic-initiatives/consumption-assessment-tool and fill out the form.
2. Select ‘Start now’ from the drop-down menu.
3. You’ll be asked to check in with either your UAE Pass or your Dewa ID.
4. You will then be sent to the Consumption Assessment Tool on the website. Select ‘Begin the assessment’ from the drop-down menu.
5. The website will then walk you through a lengthy questionnaire in which you will be asked questions about your residential unit, the appliances you have in each room of your home (living room, bedrooms, kitchen, and bathroom), and your usage patterns. Users will be prompted to enter information such as how many bedrooms they have in their home and if they live in an apartment or a villa. The quiz will alter the questions based on your responses to learn more about how much energy you may be consuming at home.
6. After you’ve finished the questionnaire, you’ll be provided a breakdown of your energy usage, including which activities use the most electricity and water.
7. Then, based on your responses to the survey, you’ll be provided personalized recommendations for lowering your energy consumption. If your villa has an empty rooftop, DEWA recommends installing Solar Photovoltaic Panels to assist you to save money on your electricity bill. Similarly, Dewa makes recommendations for the most energy-efficient lighting alternatives for your residential unit based on the kind of lighting options you employ.

Tips for saving energy and lowering your Dewa bill

According to Dewa, here are some general energy-saving tips:

Rooms

• When the air conditioner is on, make sure all of your house windows and doors are properly shut; this will make the air conditioners more energy effective.
• Replace your air conditioner filters on a regular basis.
• Even if the air conditioner is a central system, make sure each room has its own switch or control.
• In the summer, set your thermostat to 24°C and put it in automatic mode, so it shuts off and resumes at regular intervals.
• When you’re not using your phone, make sure you unplug the charger.
• When not in use, unplug personal computers, electrical devices, and chargers; most electronics utilize electricity even when turned off.
• When purchasing a monitor, go for an LCD screen because it is 66% more energy efficient.
• Connect your computer, monitor, speakers, scanner, modem, and printer to a single huge multi-socket.
• Clean your light bulbs on a regular basis. Light bulbs that are dirty or oily can diminish light output by 10%.

Bathrooms

• Long showers should be avoided. By cutting off a few minutes from your shower, you can save up to 150 gallons every month.
• To save water when taking a bath, plug the drain first and just fill the tub about 1/3 full.
• If you shave with the tap closed, you can save more than 100 gallons every week.
• Water flow reducers should be used in place of tap filters and showerheads throughout the house. Tap water flow reducers save 50-70 percent of the water used.
• When altering water temperatures, turn the water flow down rather than up to achieve the desired temperature.
• In the summer, turn off your water heaters. At that time of year, the water is naturally heated.

Kitchen

• Reduce the number of times you open the fridge or freezer door.
• Pre-heat the oven or pan for 5-8 minutes before placing the bread in it. When it comes to frying and roasting, don’t overheat your pan or oven.
• 5 to 10 minutes before the cooking time is up, turn off the oven. The cooking will be completed by the trapped heat.
• Make sure to clean and defrost your refrigerator and freezer on a regular basis. The amount of energy required to keep the engine going grows as the amount of frost builds up.

Laundry

• When purchasing a washing machine, look for models that are high inefficiency. Each load uses less than 27 gallons of water.
• Wash your clothes in warm water instead of hot; this will cut your consumption by half.
• Dark clothing should be washed in cold water. It preserves the color of clothing while also conserving water and electricity.
• Don’t use the dryer more than required to dry your garments. You will reduce your energy use by 15%. Instead, hang your clothes to dry on a clothesline and allow them dry naturally in the sun.

Gardening

• Your garden does not require everyday watering. If the top 2 or 3 inches of soil are dry, irrigation is required.
• Use a drip irrigation system for shrubs and trees to ensure that water is delivered directly to the roots and that run-off is avoided.
• Check your sprinkler system valves for leakage on a regular basis.
• Sprinkler-equipped homes use 35% more water than non-sprinkler-equipped homes.