Thermal Paper: Three Places to Never Store Rolls
While thermal receipt paper is one of the most reliable business supplies you can buy, it is important to store your thermal receipt rolls in the right location. Or, more specifically, you want to ensure that you are not accidentally storing receipt paper in the wrong locations. While this paper is very durable, there are a few places where you never want to store thermal receipt paper. Let’s take a look.
How Does Thermal Paper Work?
Before understanding where you should not store thermal receipt paper, it is first important to know how thermal paper works. This will provide a bit more context into where is and is not an optimal location for storage.
As the name would suggest, thermal paper functions using heat. The paper has a special chemical coating. It is this coating that gives it a slick appearance. This coating interacts with heat to create an image on paper. Thermal printer heads are able to very specifically apply high concentrations of heat to create detailed images. However, this paper can also interact with other heat sources.
Where Not to Store Thermal Paper Rolls
There are a few things that can cause thermal paper to fade or become damaged; however, the main ones are heat and humidity. Thus, here are three places never to store your paper rolls.
Near a Window
Sunlight and thermal paper do not get along. The heat from the sun can cause the paper to discolor. Meanwhile, UV rays can turn thermal paper black relatively quickly. This is one of the reasons why it is important to store thermal paper rolls in dark places like cabinets or other storage to maximize their shelf life.
In Your Car
Have you ever purchased business supplies and left them in your car a few days before bringing them into the office? We all forget things from time to time. While this is fine with many types of business supplies, it is a very bad idea for thermal paper rolls. During warm weather, your car will often get hot enough that the paper can be destroyed. Always store thermal paper in an area with a maximum temperature of 77 degrees.
Next to Adhesives or Solvents
While you can store thermal paper rolls next to most other business supplies, it is best to create some space between them and these two products. Solvents such as alcohol and cleaning fluids can penetrate the thermal paper and greatly diminish the colors. Meanwhile, adhesives that get in contact with a thermal paper roll can prevent it from unwinding in the machine, causing many problems.