Green Geek: In a Pickle Over Jams
Q:
I have been having a lot of problems with my printer and photocopier for the last few months. I am constantly getting paper jams. The company that sold me these devices is no help. They simply send in a service guy and he runs some paper through and tells me everything is working. But once he leaves, it’s back to the jams! I’m sick of it. Help!!!
Beenjamin’
A:
Dear Beenjamin’,
There are many reasons why printers and photocopiers jam, but if the service technician is not having a problem and you are, then I think that the problem may lie with the paper you are using… or more precisely, how you are storing the paper.
Most laser printer and photocopier paper is given a mild electrostatic charge during manufacture. This is done to help it attract and hold the toners (powder-like inks) that lasers and photocopiers use. General office papers have just a tiny charge, while other specialty papers (especially labels) carry a whack of charge.
While the electrostatic nature of the paper makes for crisp, clean printing, it does have a negative side effect… it makes the papers suck up moisture from the air. For nurseries in hot or humid areas this is a particularly serious issue as the amount of moisture paper can absorb can easily account for 20% or more of the paper’s overall weight. I have found laser label sheets in Southern Queensland that were so wet, that when you put them near your face it felt like a damp cloth!
The problem with damp paper is that it simply won’t work reliably in laser printers and photocopiers. Firstly, the moisture discharges some of the electrostatic nature of the paper, which means that the print quality is reduced. Secondly, the paper becomes slick, which causes most printers and photocopiers to jam when trying to ‘feed’ the paper. Finally, laser printers and photocopiers have a heat-transfer unit that ‘bakes’ the toner onto the paper (turning it from a loose powder to a hardened, resin-like print). Any water which is in the paper will instantly turn into steam as it passes through this thermal unit and blow sticky, partly cooked toner all over the inside of your precious printer. The resulting mess adds to the likelihood of jams.
Since wet paper is the enemy of your printer and photocopier, it is vital to store your paper in a way that keeps it from absorbing moisture from the air. However, I’ve found that the best way to store paper varies greatly by environment. Nurseries in Cairns have a very different ‘type’ of humidity than those in Tasmania. In addition, the environment changes greatly over the year. Therefore, it is impossible to give a single ‘best approach’ for paper storage… you’ll have to experiment and see what works best for you.
Here are a few options to try:
- Some photocopiers can be fitted with a heated paper tray that allows paper to be stored directly in the machine. I’ve been told that in Northern Queensland this should be considered a mandatory addition to any photocopier you purchase. However, I do not know of any printer that has this feature.
- Seal paper in plastic food containers, preferably with moisture absorbent jell-packs. Try to get a container that is only slightly larger than your paper, as the less-air is around the paper, the less moisture there is available to it.
- Store paper in cling wrap. Better still, wrap in cling wrap and then store in a plastic food container as above.
- Build a special, moisture-controlled cupboard. This can be done by placing a small heating source in the cupboard (get an electrician for this task… you don’t want to burn down the office!) or by placing a dehumidifying device into the cupboard. Make sure the cupboard doors seal.
- Purchase as little paper as possible at any one time and only remove sheets from the manufacturer’s packaging as you need them. Most paper manufacturers keep their stock in controlled environments (although not all shops do), so the fresher the paper is, the less likely it is to have absorbed moisture.
Once you’ve got your paper stored correctly, you should find that printer jams are much less frequent. Of course, if the printer or photocopier is in a very humid environment, you may continue to have problems. If this is the case, invest in a good-quality dehumidifier for the office (and keep the office door closed, for goodness sake!)