It can be quite frustrating to go to use the office photocopier and then find your copies covered with lines that render them unusable. As an office manager who is tired of hearing your colleagues complain about this problem, it is time to nip it in the bud once and for all. Entering a photocopier servicing contract is the fastest way to make sure lined photocopies are eradicated for good because the service technician can quickly take care of two common issues known to cause lined photocopies. These issues are listed below.

 Streaked Glass

The glass plate where you place your original for photocopying quickly becomes dirty from both contaminants on the paper (such as dust particles) and natural oils from fingers. It is important that the glass is cleaned every couple of weeks to ensure good quality photocopies.

Glass cleaner is the fastest way to clean the photocopier glass pane. However, as a helpful hint, spray the cleaner onto a lint-free cloth rather than directly onto the glass itself. If you spray too much cleaner onto the glass, it can seep down the edges into the machine itself and this causes damage. When you enter into a photocopier servicing contract, this is one task that gets done as part of the contract. However, unlike one of your staff performing the task, the technician will remove the glass to clean both sides if necessary.

Damaged Drum

The photocopier drum sits inside the unit, and its job is to transfer toner from the toner cartridge to a blank piece of paper so you get the copy. There are several different ways the drum gets damaged, and this damage causes blurry and/or lined photocopies. Firstly, damage occurs when you use cheap photocopy paper. This paper is not perfectly smooth, so the ridges on the paper scratch the drum.

Secondly, photocopier drums are not a part that has a forever lifespan. The toner attaches itself to the drum using a static charge. When a charged piece of paper passes beneath the drum, the toner is discharged from the drum and transferred to the paper. Over time, the efficiency of the toner transfer lessens, and some toner remains stuck to the drum. This stuck toner is another reason for lines appearing on your photocopies.

During the photocopier service, the technician runs test copies to check the quality of the print. When lines appear during the test, the serviceman opens up the photocopier to perform a closer inspection of the drum. They can then replace this part if necessary.