7 Proven Tips for Easy Copier Maintenance: Keep Your Device Trouble-Free

As an office manager, you understand the crucial role your copy machine plays in the smooth functioning of your office. A breakdown of the copy machine can quickly derail a productive workday. However, there's good news! By implementing some simple preventative copier maintenance tasks, you can avoid disruptive shutdowns and end the complaints that usually follow a copier breakdown.

This article will delve into a few essential copier maintenance tips that can effectively minimize the dreaded copier downtime.

Here are Some Tips to Maintain Your Copier and Avoid Issues

1. Turn It Off

A simple yet overlooked tip is to turn it off regularly to maintain your copier. This minor maintenance task can significantly impact the longevity of your copy machine. Powering it down at night and on weekends extends its lifespan and reduces your electricity costs.

2. Warm Up Your Copier

It needs some warm-up time before your copier can be used for daily tasks. If you have turned off your copy machine over the weekend, give it enough time to warm up when you turn it back on. Remember that it may need a calibration exercise if it shuts down. It is important to note that repeatedly pressing the "copy" button will not expedite the process. Allow the calibration mode to complete its necessary tasks.

3. Ensure the Glass is Spotless

To maintain your copier, it is essential to keep the glass clean. If you have been experiencing streaks, dots, or blobs on your copies, it could be due to Wite-Out correction fluid, which is known to cause streaks on the copier glass.

To avoid these marks, it is recommended to clean the glass regularly. Don't forget to clean the document feeder, especially the thin glass strips on modern copiers. To clean the glass, you can use a standard glass cleaner. However, never spray the cleaning fluid directly onto the glass, as it may damage the machine's electronics. Instead, spray the cleanser onto a cloth and wipe the glass clean.

4. Using High-Quality Paper 

Most people immediately think of paper jams when it comes to copier issues. However, there's another paper-related problem that many people overlook: paper dust.

Unless you're a copier technician, you may not know that paper dust can accumulate inside your machine over time, leading to problems with image quality. Recycled and lower-quality papers tend to produce more dust. Although saving money by opting for cheaper paper may be tempting, investing in high-quality paper could save you money in the long run.

5. Ensure That You Load the Paper Correctly

To prevent paper jams and ensure the proper functioning of the copier, it is essential to load the paper correctly. Follow these steps for successful paper loading:

To load the paper tray, you'll need to take half of a ream (package) of paper and place it into the tray. Ensuring that the paper is stacked tightly and aligned evenly is essential. Although the top sheets may appear correctly aligned, the bottom sheets may have shifted to the side during transportation. This could lead to a paper jam when the machine lifts the paper. So, double-check the paper stack before loading it into the tray.

To prevent paper jams, fan the paper before loading it into the tray. By fanning the paper, you ensure that no sheets are stuck together. At times, glue from the packaging process can cause the top sheets to stick together, leading to a potential paper jam.

Pay attention to cleanliness and paper quality. Paper dust and dirty paper trays can contribute to paper jams. Keep the paper tray clean to prevent debris from interfering with the paper feed. Additionally, using high-quality paper can reduce the likelihood of jams.

Avoid overloading the paper trays. Many copier paper trays are designed to accommodate a package of paper, which typically contains 500 sheets. However, newer Canon models can handle 550 sheets. It is essential not to exceed the tray's recommended capacity, as overloading it may cause a paper jam. Canon's trays offer extra space, allowing you to load a whole ream without issues.

6. Empty Waste Toner

Have you ever encountered an error code saying your waste toner reservoir is full or almost at capacity? Paying attention to this warning is essential, as ignoring it can lead to your copier eventually ceasing its functioning. However, were you aware that replacing the toner is a maintenance duty that you can efficiently perform on your own?

If you prefer a more hands-on approach to maintaining your copier, Canon and other manufacturers have simplified toner reservoir replacement, requiring no tools.

7. Seek Assistance from IT

Suppose your printer experiences a speed reduction or ceases to function altogether, and an error code is displayed. In that case, bringing in a technician to perform copier maintenance or repairs may be necessary. Nevertheless, it is worth considering reaching out to your IT team first, as they may be able to resolve the issue more efficiently. Sometimes, the problem could be related to a network connectivity issue rather than a mechanical malfunction.

Handy Tip for Copier Maintenance: A network issue is probably at play if you can still successfully make physical copies but cannot print documents from your computer.