Sometimes little things on an office chair are really annoying and they can drive you nuts trying to solve them. In this article I look at the top 7 annoyances and how to easily fix them.
Chair Keeps Sinking
Office chairs sink for 2 reasons, first because the pneumatic lift is worn out and is no longer able to carry any weight. When this happens the only answer is to replace the faulty lift and you need to contact the chair supplier to get a replacement.
The second reason this happens is usually because the height adjustment lever is damaged or out of alignment as a result what happens is the gas lift is permanently set to release any weight applied and so forces it to sink.
Turn your chair over and see if the lever is misaligned, sometimes all it needs is for the lever to be pressed back into position.
If the chair is a number of years old you may be faced with having to replace it where parts aren’t available or the overall condition of the chair is poor.
Squeaking Office Chair
When your office chair squeaks it can be really frustrating, especially when you can’t work out why it’s doing it.
Squeaks and creaks commonly have 2 sources, first any metal to metal contact typically where the back attaches to the chair seat. If this is the case try exposing the moving parts and coat those with a light spray of WD40 be careful not to get any on the chair’s upholstery.
The other common cause is loose fixings securing either the back or the mechanism to the seat, look for any large fixings and tighten them all up. Some of these may be concealed and not readily accessible with the risk of damage attempting to remove covers, so take care when trying to take them off.
Loose Gas Lift Post
This most commonly affects new chairs, when you pick up the chair to move it the top falls away from the bottom.
The gas lift post is made to wedge into the base or chair seat, if it’s come out, wipe off any oil or grease place it back together and sit down heavily in your chair and this should jam them together properly.
Static Shocks Getting Out of Chair
Static electricity shocks are unpleasant and can be quite difficult to resolve as they sometimes originate from your chair’s upholstery, clothing and more frequently from your office carpet.
Air conditioning can make things worse as it dries the air and increases the build up of static and the chance of getting a shock.
A portable humidifier can help reduce static as the moisture released lowers the likelihood of static building up. Some clothes are also more likely to create static problems, so see if a change of outfit helps.
If all else fails try gripping a metal part of your desk or chair before you get up and continue holding onto it before moving, this can ground the electrical charge.
Office Chair Height Setting Issues
Most office chairs are made to fit the average person which generally means people between 5 foot 6 inches and 6 foot.
However, people either side of these heights often find the seat’s height doesn’t work for them. Tall people end up with their legs pointing uncomfortably upwards whereas small built people discover their feet can’t be placed firmly on the floor.
Neither is desirable often all thats required is to replace the gas lift with a higher or lower version, so speak with the chair supplier and ask if they offer different lift options.
A foot rest is another alternative for smaller built individuals.
Office Chair Back No Longer Reclines
When you have an office chair where the back has stopped reclining it’s highly likely the back has been accidentally set to the locked position. A lot of chair backs are designed to move back and forward as you move and also include a function letting you lock the back in a pre-set position.
If you are having this problem it’s highly likely the chair back has been set locked. To release it try moving the control levers on the chair’s underside, you may need to lean back slightly to apply some weight before the locked position can be released.
Chair Back Won’t Stop Reclining All the Time
There are 2 possible problems here, first if the back doesn’t move and is leaning back significantly it’s likely the back is locked off at full recline so just follow the suggestions in the previous topic to release it.
The other situation happens when leaning back in you chair it just seems to fall away immediately with little or no resistance. This could be the result of a faulty mechanism, however it may also be because the chair’s tension adjustment isn’t correctly set up.
Look under the chair for a round knob at the middle of the front, try turning this clockwise and increase the tension of the back this will help stiffen resistance when you recline.
Conclusion
This covers the commonest problems found on office chairs and hopefully helped fix a problem. Where a chair is a number of years old or low quality you may have little option other than accepting replacing it is the best course of action.