COLORADO HOMEOWNERS CAN TAKE THE 'POWER' INTO THEIR OWN HANDS DURING OUTAGES

If you’ve lived in Colorado for any length of time, you’ve learned to respect the wind. You also know the extra dry weather has made things a little different recently. This combination of drought and high winds has put utility companies in a tough position.

We’ve seen planned power shutoffs across parts of the state as a preventative safety measure. With the wind, lines can easily go down, and with the drought, they can just as easily spark a fire. The wind would spread that fire like.. well, wildfire.

Even with the understanding that the utility companies are working to reduce risk, protect their customers and limit liability, the outages are frustrating for us as homeowners. Yet, utilities have to make decisions for millions of customers at once. Homeowners only have to make decisions for one home: their own.

Even so, as homeowners, there is a certain level of power we can take into our own hands to minimize or entirely eliminate power disruption during both planned and unplanned outages. No lifestyle change or six-figure investment required.

The solution for the average homeowner Sometimes when you hear words like “energy management” and “off-grid” you picture doomsday prep or otherwise extreme lifestyle changes and hefty investments. But stay with us here. It’s much more practical than it might sound.

Energy management is about giving homeowners options. It’s reducing reliance on a single power source, being able to control energy use throughout your home, and ultimately riding out power outages while maintaining your day-to-day.

We’re not talking about a single product. We’re talking about a toolbox of solutions that can be combined—or used on their own—to reduce your dependence on the grid and keep your home functioning when conditions aren’t ideal.

Here are a few of the solutions homeowners are turning to during wind events, planned shutoffs, and grid instability:

• Solar Power: Solar gives your home the ability to generate its own electricity instead of relying entirely on the grid. Even when paired with the grid, solar can reduce your overall dependence on utility power and lower operating costs long term. When outages happen during daylight hours, solar can be a critical part of keeping systems running.

• Battery Storage: Batteries store energy so it’s available when you need it. Whether that’s during a planned shutoff, a surprise outage, or overnight when solar production drops, instead of losing power instantly when the grid goes down, batteries allow your home to transition smoothly and keep essential circuits online.

• Generators: For longer outages or homes with higher power demands, generators provide dependable backup power regardless of weather or time of day. When paired with smart controls, generators can automatically kick on when utility power drops, reducing downtime and stress during extended events.

• Smart Panels: Smart electrical panels allow homeowners to prioritize which circuits matter most during an outage. Instead of powering everything—or nothing—you can intelligently manage loads like refrigeration, HVAC, medical equipment, or internet while temporarily shedding less critical uses. This makes backup power systems far more efficient.

• Automation and Energy Controls: Automation ties everything together. Smart controls can manage when power is stored, when it’s used, and how it’s distributed throughout the home. During grid disruptions, automation helps systems respond instantly, without homeowners needing to flip switches or make decisions under pressure.

  
  

Each of these tools can stand on its own. But when combined intentionally, they can also create a home energy system that’s more resilient, more efficient, and far less reactive to outside forces like weather or utility shutdowns.

This isn’t part of a fight against the utility companies. It’s a way to play a role in reducing that wildfire risk while also protecting your day-to-day lifestyle. How ready is your home for the next steps? Take our quiz to get started.