Large and even smaller businesses with multiple employees tend to make heavy use of the office printer. Printers sometimes have a reputation for being finicky and breaking down easily. In order to keep the printer at your small business in good shape for a long time to come, make sure each of your employees is aware of the following tips:
Always Store Paper in a Low Humidity Area
A common cause of paper jams is paper that sticks together, which then leads to a feed error. This can be especially true if you don't have a fancy, heavy-duty printer with rollers that are used to a high volume of work. One thing that can cause paper to stick together is high humidity. Store your paper in a cool environment whenever possible. If you don't have a special closet designated for office supplies, this might be a good time to start.
Fanning the Paper Before Loading Does Not Help
A common trick that many people think actually helps a printer load paper more easily is to "fan" a new stack of paper back and forth in the air before putting it into the printer tray. Fanning the paper rarely does any good, and can actually cause other problems. Fanning can cause a build up of static electricity, which can then cause paper jams to occur even more often. Even low-end printers do a decent job of separating papers inside the paper tray, provided you don't add any additional interference.
Know How to Clean the Printer
Every employee should know some basic tips on how to get the printer up and running again if it is down. Each employee should also take responsibility to perform preventative maintenance on occasion. One of the easiest ways to prevent problems before they occur is to regularly clean debris from your printer. Once a month, use a can of compressed air to blow out dust and debris. It might also be a good idea to hire a professional to come in and clean not just your printer but your other electronic devices once every few months.
Printers sometimes have a reputation for not working properly, but you can keep yours chugging along for years to come with some of these tips. Keep your paper stored in a cool, low humidity area and avoid fanning the paper before loading it in order to prevent paper jams. Even if your printer is running okay, it's still a good idea to stick to a regular maintenance schedule to ensure that it stays that way.
Need more help? Contact a company like Lafayette Business Machines Inc. with any questions you have.
Share10 February 2015
Tax time comes around every single year. Do you file married jointly or separately? Do you claim your property taxes and medical bills? What about a home office and the expenses for it? Were there any changes in tax laws that you should be aware of? My site is filled with advice for small business owners for tax time. You will learn how to get the most from your return and what could trigger an audit or red flag on your tax forms this year. Hopefully, what I have included on my site will help at least a few small business owners get through tax time with less stress.
