Have you ever had the problem of your paper jamming in your printers, especially in the colder months? In most cases its not the printer or the paper – its the way the paper has been stored and its needs a little warm hug.
Paper is a natural product and it will absorb and lose moisture depending on the environment it is kept in. We have put together a couple of handy tips to make sure your paper is happy and functioning properly in your printers.
1. Keeping the right climate
The paper needs to be stored where the room is at a temperature of 20-24°C. Avoid areas that are subject to extreme temperatures as this will have an impact on the reliability of the paper. If the paper is in an area with high humidity it can cause the edges of the paper to become wavy or crinkled. Areas of low humidity can cause the paper to contract. Both of these scenarios will increase the probability of paper jams.
Paper likes to feel comfortable and happy! Air conditioned rooms are ideal as they regulate the temperature of the room.
2. Storing the paper
It’s important not to unwrap the paper until you need to. The protective wrapper prevents the paper being exposed to moisture, once open this will change. In most schools storage facilities will prevent from keeping the paper in its ideal environment. In this case we recommend to our customers to use something called ‘conditioning’.
What we mean by this is, if the paper is coming from an unheated area or unregulated environment bring the paper into the room and leave for 24 – 48 hours so it can acclimatise to the room. In most cases when schools call this method prevents paper jamming and printing problems. We also recommend you separate the boxes and reams to help the paper get prepared for use.
Remember…
If these 2 tips are considered it will reduce those frustrating paper jams, wastage and call outs to fix your equipment. Keep it snuggled, happy and warm and you will have paper that performs well in all your printing equipment.