The garage opener is one of the most important parts of your garage door, as it's what powers this door to open and close. Openers are long-lasting, but in order to keep them that way and working without any hiccups, you need to take these maintenance steps. 

Tighten Loose Parts 

Every time your garage door is opened and closed, the opener experiences slight vibrations. Over time, they can cause parts to loosen and fall off completely. You can easily prevent this from happening by inspecting loose parts and tightening them appropriately.

What you'll need for this maintenance job is a ratchet or adjustable wrench. If you notice any loose nuts or bolts, use these tools to tighten them to where they are snug. You don't want to tighten too hard, though, as you might exert too much pressure and strip some of the material away.

Lubricate the Chain Drive

If your garage door opener operates via a chain drive mechanism, you need to make sure this part is lubricated. Otherwise, it could overheat and break down prematurely. Then, you'll have to worry about a potentially expensive replacement or repair job.

Lubricating this part is as simple as applying a little bit of WD40 every month. Be sure to spray the entire chain on every side -- ensuring it can operate smoothly. WD40 not only facilitates the chain's movement, it helps reduce friction and noise. You then won't be disturbed when someone opens or closes the garage door periodically throughout the day.

Clean the Light Housing Unit

The light housing unit plays an important role in your garage opener because it provides light when it's dark. You, therefore, can see better when changing parts or performing routine maintenance. 

Make sure this housing unit is clean by first removing the cover. Using a portable air compressor, spray air inside the unit and around the cover. The pressurized air should effectively remove dirt and other residues that have collected on these surfaces over the months. Insert the cover back into the correct position, and test the light to make sure the area was cleaned adequately.

In order to use your garage door every day, the opener needs to be in working order. You can keep your opener working as it should, for a long time, with simple maintenance steps. The more proactive you are, the fewer repairs you'll have to worry about long-term.