10 Foolproof Ways To Get The Best From Your Printer

Here are some tips to help you get the best out of your printer.

Paper

Don’t buy cheap paper. Paper can be dusty which will damage your pickup rollers and you will spend more money repairing your machine than you save on paper.
Regularly carry out the maintenance procedures detailed in your handbook.

Siting

Site your printer sensibly. Keep it out of the sun and off the floor. Also remember to leave it space to breathe; it needs 10cm of free space all round to allow for the air to circulate through it’s cooling fans.

Labels

Never put part sheets of labels through your laser printer. If you really must use part sheets then use an inkjet printer or a label printer.

OHP Film

Beware of putting OHP film or transparencies through your printer. Take care to purchase the correct type for your machine. Inkjet transparencies will damage your laser printer.

Paper Guides

Your printer is equipped with guides to ensure the paper feeds through your printer straight. Use them to avoid paper jams.

Paper Jams

When you experience a paper jam take care how you remove the jammed paper. When possible, pull the paper out the way it went in. If the paper tears when you remove it, keep all the pieces and put them together to make sure you have removed a complete sheet.

Use It!

If you have an inkjet printer that is used infrequently make sure you print a test sheet once each week. Inkjet printers that are left for prolonged periods without use can get blocked heads caused by drying ink. By printing just one sheet each week you can prolong the life of your cartridges by ensuring the ink will flow.

Sharp Objects

Do not be tempted to insert scissors or other sharp objects into your printer. You can cause expensive damage.

Drivers

Using the latest revision of driver for your printer will ensure that you get the best communication between your computer and printer.

These tips are put together from the experience we have gained from servicing and repairing printers. All of the above have been encountered by our engineers during the course of call-outs.