Why has my DEWA electricity bill doubled in summer and how do I reduce it?

A doubled DEWA bill in summer is almost always your air conditioning — it's the dominant electricity consumer in any Dubai home, typically accounting for 60–70% of summer electricity costs. Things to check immediately: AC filter cleaning — a dirty filter makes your unit work significantly harder. Clean all filters (takes 10 minutes, costs nothing). AC unit age and efficiency — units over 10 years old lose efficiency significantly. A new inverter AC uses 30–40% less electricity than an older non-inverter unit. Thermostat setting — each degree you raise the thermostat setting reduces electricity consumption by approximately 6–8%. 24°C instead of 21°C makes a meaningful difference. Insulation — check that no windows or doors are letting heat in around the seals. Sun-blocking curtains or solar window film on west-facing windows reduces solar heat gain significantly. Smart thermostat — scheduling your AC to reduce when you're not home can reduce bills by 15–25%. For a Dubai Marina apartment seeing AED 500 increase, the most likely cause is your AC working harder as external temperatures have risen — this is normal and expected to peak in July–August.