How Can I Tell When My Printer Drum Needs Replacing?

A printer drum is an essential component of a laser printer that plays a crucial role in the printing process. when the drum starts to go bad, the quality of the printouts will suffer. But since a number of other faulty parts can cause a deterioration in print quality, it is important to properly diagnose the problem and make sure that it is the drum that is causing it.

Here in this post, we will discuss how you can know beforehand when you need to replace a drum unit.

Blurry Prints

If your printer is churning out blurry pages, it either means that your printer drum is damaged and in need of replacement or that you need new ink toner. You can determine what the problem is by checking the toner cartridge. If the printer’s toner levels are adequate, the printer drum likely is the problem. You may be able to clean the drum so that it works properly, but if symptoms persist it will need to be replaced for you to print effectively

Black Spots

Another common sign of a damaged printer drum is the presence of black spots or blotches on printed documents. Spots on the paper can be caused by a number of things, including a faulty or leaking toner cartridge, or a bad printer drum. The easiest way to determine whether the spots are the result of a bad toner or a bad drum is to change the toner cartridge and clean the inside of the printer. If the spots continue after the toner has been replaced, the problem is most likely the drum.

Poor Print Quality

If you’re printer is churning out low-quality documents, it’s likely the case of a damaged printer drum. Unlike blurry prints or black spots, poor print quality is characterized by faded text and images. However, this is another sign that is easily confused with empty ink and toner cartridges. After you check your ink cartridge levels and determine that they are adequate, check the printer drum. Drums are sensitive and don’t last forever, so at some point it is likely you will need to replace it.

Other Printer Drum Issues

There are several other signs to look out for that point to a printer drum that needs replacing. The most obvious is on laser colour printers and can be found by a flashing message on the printer’s display screen, but that doesn’t always appear. Other signs of a bad printer drum include the printing of blank or grey pages or if you hear any unusual new sounds when printing. The best way to identify any issues with your printer drum is by simply observing – remember to always check the drum for signs of damage and dirt and (if the latter) clean, and if the same issues continue, replace the drum.