Printers and copiers have earned a certain reputation for being high maintenance. But just like most other sophisticated devices, a little bit of prevention and care goes a long way towards heading off major issues. Unfortunately, while most of your software, systems, and computers probably receive that care, the office copier often is neglected…until something bigger happens.
To keep your copier happy and avoid many common reasons it may break down, let’s explore easy ways you can head off costly repairs.
Daily Maintenance Tasks
1. Shut Your Copier Down
You should turn your copier off at the end of the day, just like your printer and laptop. Not only will you reduce your office’s energy bills, but this simple tip will also help your copier last longer.
2. Let It Calibrate
When you turn your copier on at the beginning of a workday, it needs to warm up and calibrate before you start using it. It may seem like it’s taking forever, but most older copiers only take a minute and a half or so to get properly warmed up, and a newer copier may take as little as ten seconds.
3. Load It Properly
If you ever wonder why we can have such sophisticated smartphones, but printers and copiers still experience old-fashioned paper jams, there’s a reason. Your smartphone’s tasks are almost entirely digital, but printers and copiers have to quickly move individual sheets of paper and dispense precise amounts of ink or toner. For the most part, they do a fantastic job of this, but you can help them out by loading the paper correctly and neatly without overloading the tray. If you’re careless and shove them in, the risk of a paper jam goes up significantly.
4. Use High-Quality Paper
Cheap paper is tough on your copier. It can produce dust, retain moisture, and its measurements could be more imprecise. If you use cheap paper, over time, it will cause more wear and tear on your machine, and you’ll experience more paper jams.
5. Treat It Gently
If the copier is trying your patience, resist the urge to press buttons harder or be rough with paper trays. Copiers may look hardier than your laptop, but excessive physical force could easily damage the delicate components inside.
Weekly Maintenance Tasks
Clean the Glass
This one’s obvious, but it’s critical to clean the glass on your copier once a week so it will produce high-quality images. You can use a regular glass cleaner, but don’t spray it directly on the glass where some mist could get inside the machine. Spray the glass cleaner on a paper towel instead.
Clean the Trays
Dust and debris can build up in the paper tray. Over time, if your paper trays aren’t cleaned, that dust and debris could build up quickly inside your machine. Eventually, your copier won’t be producing the high-quality documents it once did, and it could malfunction completely.
As-Needed Tasks
Get To Know Your Copier
Did you read the manual for your copier? Many technology products these days are fairly intuitive, and you might have gotten out of the habit of reading manuals. Your copier’s manual will contain a wealth of information about maintenance and troubleshooting.
Empty the Reservoir
When your copier indicates that the waste toner reservoir is almost full, don’t ignore it, or it could clog the machine. Empty the reservoir carefully; it’s a fine powder, and it can make quite a mess.
Other Tips
Watch the Jewelry
The glass on your copier is strong, but diamonds can easily scratch it. If you or other staff members wear a diamond ring or bracelet, take extra care when positioning documents directly on the glass.
Fess Up
Even if your copier is still functioning correctly, if you’ve spilled coffee or any other beverage on it, it’s best to call a service technician. Continuing to use the copier could make any damage worse.
Maintain Your Copiers and Printers the Easy Way
All of these daily and weekly maintenance tips are fairly easy to complete, but routine maintenance tasks around the office can add up. If you’d rather focus on other things, it might be best to have a Managed Print Services (MPS) provider maintain some of your office’s fussiest equipment for you.
An excellent MPS provider can typically save their clients up to 30% each month on paper, supplies, energy use, and more. As an added bonus, your staff won’t be kept so busy monitoring and ordering paper and toner or troubleshooting error codes.
