Copier Maintenance in Fort Collins

Copier Maintenance Tips: A Practical User’s Guide

At our company, we only service Canon, Xerox, and HP copiers. Here’s a quick guide to help you troubleshoot common copier issues, without needing to buy expensive parts or tools. This guide is designed for the average user dealing with everyday copier problems.

1. Configurations

Having “weird” issues like your copier constantly beeping and showing an error like “paper size mismatch”? This is likely a configuration issue. Here’s how to check:

• Start by checking the application settings. If you have the paper set to letter size in your application and are trying to print legal size through the driver, this mismatch will cause problems.
• Ensuring that your paper size and paper weight settings are consistent across the copier and application will help eliminate about 35% of service calls.

2. Paper Jams

One of the most common mechanical issues is a paper jam. Here are some common causes and solutions:

• Bad Pickup Rollers: If the rollers in your tray are smooth and don’t provide enough friction, the paper may have trouble feeding through, causing jams.
  Solution: Replace the rollers (usually under $10).
• Bad Paper Quality: Using the cheapest paper you can find, especially poor-quality recycled paper, is often the cause of paper jams. Low-quality paper can cause continuous jams, which lead to more service calls.
  Solution: Invest in good-quality paper to minimize issues.
• How to Address Paper Jams:
  • Always ensure your media is within the copier’s specifications. Using paper outside of the recommended range can lead to permanent damage.
  • Clear jams in the direction the paper was traveling. Pulling paper in the opposite direction can damage sensitive sensors.
  • Be sure to remove all paper—even small pieces of paper left behind can cause future jams.

3. Print Quality Issues

Print quality problems can be frustrating. To help us diagnose the issue accurately, gather the following details:

• Paper specs: We prefer the grams per square meter (gsm) rating. “Pound” is confusing because there are different paper types (index vs. bond).
• Print issue details: Describe the problem in practical terms—this helps us quickly identify the right solution and part.

4. Communications Issues

Sometimes you may face issues with jobs disappearing or not printing correctly. Here are common causes of communication problems:

• Wrong port type: The copier may be set to parallel but connected as a TCP/IP printer.
• Wrong IP address: This is a common issue, especially in networked copiers.
• Flaky network card or memory: These can cause connectivity and printing issues.
• Firmware glitches: The copier may need a firmware update.

5. Basic Troubleshooting

Start by checking the settings of your copier. If everything looks good, the next step is to check the print cartridge. Swapping out the cartridge can often resolve print quality issues. If problems persist, you may need to involve your IT staff or a professional repair service.

6. Errors and Messages

Copiers are equipped with error codes that can provide clues to what’s wrong. For example:

• A2: Fuser overheating.
• C3: Duplexing motor error.

Writing down the error code and having the make and model number of your copier can help us provide a faster, more accurate diagnosis.

Looking for Copier Service in Fort Collins?

If you need copier service in Fort Collins, we handle HP, Lexmark, Kyocera, and Xerox copiers. Unfortunately, we do not support other brands at this time.

Contact us today for expert copier service and maintenance!