The life span of your printer will vary depending on the make or model, however with proper care and maintenance you can ensure this is as long as possible. Prolong the life of your printer with these simple steps and avoid the printer drama.
1. Location, Location, Location
Your printer, like most technology in today’s day-and-age prefers the cold. Having your printer where the air is dry and hot will reduce the shelf life. This is due to the ink/toner drying out which is more likely to cause clogging within, which leads to paper jams. To solve this, situate your printer away from any heat sources within your office.
2. Think Paper
Using high quality paper will prolong the life of your printer; thinner, poor quality paper tends to tear easier. Over-filling the paper tray will also cause issues when feeding into the machine, so add smaller amounts of paper instead of filling to the max. Each time your printer jams it causes small amounts of damage. Over time this will affect the performance of your machine. Paying attention to the issues mentioned above will reduce the amount of paper jams.
3. Switch Off
Give your printer a break! Turning your printer off overnight and over the weekend will help prolong the life. When looking after your printer, always assume that heat is bad. Leaving your printer in standby mode means there is still power going to the device. This leads to them staying hot which causes deterioration internally.
4. Software
Keeping software up to date is an issue that many tend to overlook when regarding printers. Manufacturers will often update the printer drivers that adds software to deal with issues you wouldn’t know were there. Most printers will automatically do this but if not you can read the user manual to find out how.
5. Servicing
Talk to any mechanic and they will tell you that your car needs regular servicing. This is the same with your printer. If you notice your printer making irregular noises or is slower than usual, then it is time to organise a service. Getting a professional to come out and assess the machine will help with diagnosing any issues before they arise. Prevention rather than cure.
Still having issues…?
At EBM we offer a free 30-minute engineer visit to take a look at the problem. If you are having printer troubles then visit our website or call 01376 512 575 to chat with one of our accommodating team to help with your printer drama.