When it comes to copy machines, an ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure. Small businesses can’t run the risk of costly downtime and expensive repairs. However, most copier issues can be prevented with a little routine maintenance. Here are a few tips from our experts that will help you extend the life of your office copy machine.
Five Copier Maintenance Tips to Help It Last Longer
1: Let It Warm Up
If your copier goes to sleep, it will need some time to warm up before the next job. Letting your copier warm up allows the toner to melt properly, which ensures an accurate scan or copy and prevents malfunctions. You should always allow the machine to complete the full warm-up process, no matter how urgent the job is.
2: Give It a Rest
Giving the copier a break will help extend its lifespan and keep it from overheating. It’s a good idea to set the copy machine to go to sleep whenever it hasn’t been used after a certain period of time. However, it should also get a full rest from time to time. Make sure to turn the device completely off at least once a week.
If your office rarely uses the copier, it’s best to keep it turned off during the long periods when it’s not in use. But if your busy office needs to use the copier frequently, it may be a better idea to invest in a second one so your machines don’t have to work as hard.
3: Clean the Glass Regularly
The copier glass collects dust and fingerprints that can affect the quality of your copies. Too much dust can even damage the machine. Carefully clean the glass using a soft microfiber cloth and water or glass cleaner. It’s also important to wipe down the copier lid, which also accumulates dust that can transfer to the glass.
Don’t wait until you start noticing blurry, shadowy, or otherwise distorted copies. You should clean the glass and the rest of the copier about once a week.
4: Use High-Quality Supplies
Cheap paper and toner may be easy on your budget, but they can actually cost you more in the long run. Low-quality supplies are more likely to cause paper jams and poor scans or copies. And if you use materials that aren’t compatible with it, they can stress your machine, causing breakdowns.
The good news is, you don’t need to choose the most expensive paper and toner to take care of your device. You can choose something in the middle range as long as it is designed for use with your copier model.
5: Be Careful When Loading Paper
Poor quality paper is only part of the problem when it comes to paper jams and other copier problems. The way you load the paper can also affect the quality of your prints and the lifespan of your machine.
To reduce the risk of jams, it’s essential to load the paper tray properly. That means loading the tray with only half a ream of fresh, dust-free paper. Fan the pages to make sure there aren’t any sheets that are stuck together, and check that the stack is aligned evenly to ensure the paper can be fed through the rollers without any issues.
Office Copier Repair in Northern California
No matter how well you take care of your office copier, there can still come a time when it needs professional repairs. WiZiX Technology Group provides expert copy machine maintenance and repair services for businesses across Northern California. We also offer service and maintenance agreements that can help you avoid costly copier repairs. Give us a call at 866-846-1411 today to discuss our services.
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