Having a paper shredder in your home is a great way to help protect your personal information. Whether you’re looking to keep old bank statements or credit card bills from being seen by others or you want to protect sensitive documents like medical records, there’s no reason not to have one of these devices in your home. The question is, how often should you have a paper shredder serviced? Maintaining your paper shredder regularly will ensure it stays operational for years to come. Regular servicing can be done by anyone once you know how.
The benefits of regularly maintaining your paper shredder
Maintenance is key to keeping your paper shredder running in top condition. Regularly cleaning and oiling the blades ensures that your shredder continues to run smoothly and efficiently. This will also reduce the risk of paper jams and other malfunctions.
Additionally, having a regular maintenance schedule for your paper shredder will help you identify any potential problems before they become serious. This can be especially helpful when dealing with sensitive documents, as a malfunction can compromise their security. Regular maintenance of your paper shredder will also improve its lifespan. Taking care of the blades and keeping your shredding machine dust-free will ensure that it continues to work properly for years to come.
Here are a few ways to do it:
Empty and clean the shredder’s receptacle regularly
Regularly emptying the shredder's receptacle is essential to the proper function and longevity of the device. If the receptacle is not empty, paper jams can occur due to shredded bits of paper clogging up the parts of the machine. Dust and other particles can build up in the receptacle, leading to poor performance and potentially damaging the internal components of the shredder. Paper shredders are meant to be emptied at least once a month, even if they aren't yet full. You can do this by removing the paper feed tray and emptying the shred bin.
Oil your shredding machine
As with any machine, it’s important to keep your paper shredder lubricated. Shredding machines are designed to be lubricated to help them run smoothly and efficiently. They are built with ball bearings that can wear out if they aren’t lubricated properly. Hence, lubricating your shredder will keep its bearings running smoothly, helping it run longer with less wear and tear. It’s recommended that paper shredders be lubricated at least once a month.
Reset any safety features that may have been deactivated
Paper shredder safety is important, and many paper shredders have a “safety lock” feature that can be activated when the receptacle is full. This feature is designed to help prevent accidents and overheating. If the feed tray is full, the shredder will stop and display an error code, indicating that the shredder has jammed and needs manual intervention. Paper shredders that have this safety feature can be reset by pulling out the red tab and removing the paper feed tray.
Confirm your security features are functioning
A paper shredder's purpose is to completely destroy the papers so that any information contained within them cannot be compromised. However, a paper shredding machine can be mishandled by any individual. For example, paper shreds can be compromised if pulled from an open drawer or if the shredder was left out in the open, especially if the papers haven't been completely destroyed.
Paper shredder security features can be tested by pulling out the paper feed tray and removing the paper feed tab from the receptacle. You’ll want to turn on the shredder and feed a piece of paper into the receptacle. If the paper feed tab is locked and the paper feed tray is not filled with paper, then the security features are working correctly.
Only shred what is needed and what the machine is designed for
It is essential to only shred what is needed and use a shredding machine that is designed for the task in order to ensure maximum document security. Improperly shredding documents can be incredibly dangerous, as it may lead to sensitive information being compromised and data breaches.
It is also important to understand the different types of shredders, as some are designed for specific types of documents. For example, a cross-cut shredder is designed for important documents, while a micro-cut shredder is better suited for more sensitive documents. Using the wrong type of shredder for the wrong documents can cause paper jams, which can cost both time and money, and even patience. Check out this paper shredder buying guide to learn what type of documents can be shredded by different shredding machines.
Knowing what types of documents need to be shredded and using the right type of machine for the job is the key to keeping confidential information secure. It is also important to ensure that the shredder is in good working order and that it is regularly maintained and inspected for any problems. Ultimately, only shredding what is necessary and using the proper type of shredder are the best ways to ensure maximum security.
Summing it up
Paper shredders are designed to shred paper, and they are a great way to protect your sensitive information from being read. A poorly maintained and misused paper shredder can pose risks to your health and safety. As a result, regularly maintaining your paper shredder is important as it will extend its lifespan and keep it running at peak performance for many years.