Power outages are a fact of life for many Colorado homeowners, especially during winter storms, high winds, and heavy snow. If you’ve ever been stuck, unable to open your garage door during an outage, you’ve probably wondered: Do I need a garage door battery backup?
At One Clear Choice Garage Doors, this is a question we hear more often every year. While Colorado doesn’t currently require battery backup systems by law, they’ve quickly become one of the most practical and safety-focused upgrades for homeowners across the Front Range, foothills, and surrounding suburbs.
Here’s what Colorado homeowners should know.
A garage door battery backup (BBU) is a built-in battery system inside your garage door opener. When the power goes out, the battery automatically takes over, allowing you to open and close your garage door multiple times until power is restored.
Most modern battery backups can:
No extension cords. No manual lifting required.
Short answer: No—at least not yet.
Unlike California, which passed SB-969 requiring battery backups on new garage door openers, Colorado currently has no statewide mandate requiring them.
However, that doesn’t mean they’re optional from a safety perspective.
In fact, many builders, HOAs, and safety professionals increasingly treat battery backups as a best-practice upgrade, especially in areas prone to outages.
Colorado’s winter conditions create unique risks that make battery backups far more than a convenience.
Heavy snow, ice, wind, and fallen branches regularly knock out power, particularly in:
When that happens, a garage without a battery backup becomes a sealed door.
For many homes, the garage is:
Without power, or a battery backup, you may be unable to open the door without manually disengaging it, which can be difficult or unsafe in icy conditions.
In emergencies like:
Seconds matter. A battery backup ensures your garage door opens instantly, even when the grid is down.
This is one reason many fire safety professionals strongly recommend BBUs, even in states without formal laws.
Battery backups aren’t just for worst-case scenarios.
Colorado outages often last minutes or hours, not days. A battery backup lets you:
Modern garage doors are heavy. Manually lifting them during an outage isn’t always easy, especially for seniors or anyone with mobility concerns.
Battery backup openers are now considered a premium standard feature in many newer homes.
Not all openers can accept a battery backup.
Typically:
A professional evaluation ensures compatibility and proper installation.
Even without a Colorado law in place, most homeowners choose to upgrade before they’re stuck during an outage.
Battery backups are especially recommended if:
At One Clear Choice Garage Doors, we help Colorado homeowners decide whether a battery backup makes sense for their home, not with pressure, but with honest guidance.
We provide:
You don’t need a law to tell you when something is smart. A garage door battery backup offers peace of mind, safety, and reliability, especially during Colorado’s unpredictable winters.
If you’re ready to explore your options, contact One Clear Choice Garage Doors today for expert advice and dependable solutions.
