We all know printers fail sometimes and usually at the time we need the print job the most. Fortunately, it is a fairly easy to keep everything up and running smoothly. Of course, the easiest method of keeping your printer running smoothly is regular maintenance.

A couple of things you can do to insure that your printer is clean are:

1. Keep a can of compressed air handy and periodically open the cover of your printer and blow out the dust and debris that accumulates during normal use.

2 Handle ink cartridges with care. The nozzles are fragile and easily damaged so avoid touching them when replacing. Also avoid touching the brass contacts on the back of the cartridge. The oil in your skin can sometimes be enough to interfere with the operation of the cartridge.

3 Don’t forget the diagnostic tools that are included with many printer software packages. They are used for printer maintenance and can be used, in many cases, to get your printer back up and running in the event of a problem.

With that in mind, here are some of the more common inkjet printer problems with some suggestions on how to fix them.

Paper Jams

This is easily the most common problem printers have and can occur for almost any reason. Dust on the rollers requiring cleaning, debris from a previous print job blocking the paper feed, the wrong paper type or size is being used, or the rollers on the printer that feed the paper worn are the most common reasons for a paper jam.

Some printers are more susceptible to paper jams than others but regardless of the cause, when removing a paper jam, always pull the paper in the direction of the paper path, as pulling it backward can severely damage the printer. After clearing the jam check and make sure that there is no debris left behind.

The Printer picks up multiple sheets of paper rather than one sheet

Worn parts in your printer can cause this or it could just be dirty. Another possible issue is the paper is wet from humidity. Check that your printer is clean and that the paper used is in good condition.

Some of the printing on the page is fading

Faded print on a page or horizontal white lines running through the print can usually be the result of one of these conditions:

1 The most likely cause for this is that the printer ink is getting low in the cartridge. If this is the case than the only thing to do is replace the cartridge with a new one.

2 The next most likely cause is clogged nozzles that are not dispensing the ink properly. Cleaning the print head can sometimes fix the problem. Use a Q-tip with denatured alcohol and lightly rub the surface of the print head. This will usually dissolve any ink. After cleaning it, lightly wipe any excess ink off the print head with a dry Q-tip. Once you have inserted the print head back into the printer you may need to run the cleaning utility is usually included with the printer software.

3 The print head ribbon is not secured firmly to the print head. This does not usually occur with new printers, but it can happen. Turn off the printer power and make sure that the print head ribbon is in secure.

4 Paper dust buildup can interfere with electrical connections. When a printer is used quite a bit, the paper dust can interfere with the electrical contacts on the printer head. Clean the contacts with denatured alcohol and a Q-tip and let dry before testing.

The page or file fails to print

This is easily the most frustrating printer problem, especially since it can be so difficult to diagnose. This is usually caused by a loss of communication between the computer and printer. If you aren't able to print any file at all and are unable to print from any application, and assuming that the connections and cables are all in good shape, it is most likely that it is a driver problem.

The easiest way to fix this particular issue is to reinstall the appropriate drivers for your printer and operating system. Use the CD provided by the manufacturer or download the most recent version of the driver from the printer manufacturers website. If reinstalling the appropriate drivers doesn't correct the problem, the printer is able to print a self test report and the cables look to be in good shape then you may need to contact a computer repair professional as it is possibly an issue with your operating system or the PC's hardware.

NOTE: These are just suggestions and are to assist with basic printer problems. If you are unsure of your ability to do any of the functions, or if it may void the printers’ warranty, contact a qualified service professional.