How to Avoid Paper Jams

Paper jams account for more than 25% of all printer repairs. Once a paper jam occurs it is almost certain you will require printer service to completely resolve the problem. However, following these tips can help you avoid paper jams altogether.

01. Store Your Paper in a Cool, Dry Place

Our printer techs see an increase in paper jams when the seasons change. When the humidity is high you may experience intermittent paper jams due to moisture in the paper. Store paper in a cool, dry place to avoid seasonal paper jams.

02. DO NOT Re-use Labels

We highly advise against re-using labels! Re-used labels can wrap around components in the printer, get stuck in the printer’s paper path and block the paper path sensors. When this happens a paper jam will occur. With paper jams caused by labels, the repair can be more costly due to the time required to remove the label. In many cases, major components such as the fuser assembly may have to be replaced.

03. Perform Routine Printer Maintenance

It is estimated that more than 60% of all paper jams are due to printer neglect. It is recommended that printers located in an office environment should be cleaned and inspected once a year. Printers located in a warehouse or industrial environment should be cleaned and inspected twice a year. Routine printer maintenance is an inexpensive way to avoid paper jams as well as all other printer repairs.

04. Stay Current on Scheduled Maintenance

Scheduled printer maintenance intervals are typically from 200,000 – 350,000 pages. Your printer will notify you when it is time to perform a scheduled maintenance by displaying a maintenance error message. Do not ignore this message. This service includes replacing the feed rollers and the fuser assembly which are the 2 biggest causes of paper jams.

Printer Repair Tip: Go slowly when removing a paper jam. Your goal is to get the entire sheet of paper out of the printer without ripping it. If the paper tears you will likely have to schedule a printer tech.