FIX AN OFFICE CHAIR THAT WON’T STAY UP
If you have a desk job, it means you have to sit for long hours in front of a computer. In this case, comfort is very important. One of the main components that ensures comfort is the chair that you sit in.
But if you are someone whose office chair won't stay up, we know how difficult it must be for you. For instance if you are a programmer who is using a programmer chair for long sitting, we know how much this issue can affect your workflow and you might even end up being less productive.
This is why we have done some research and have come up with the easiest ways to fix this issue. Read on to know why this common problem occurs and how to fix it.
Why Does My Chair Keep Sinking?
Office chairs have a pneumatic cylinder that controls the height of the chair with the help of pressurized air. This cylinder tends to fail after a few years mainly because the seals become too battered to maintain any more pressure. That said, the most probable reason that your chair won't stay up is gas loss. Since office chairs often lose gas, the chair drops.
Below, we shall look at the mechanism behind the working of the office chair to understand exactly why your office chair sinks.
Mechanism Of An Office Chair
Every office chair has a cylinder that connects the base of the chair to the seat. This chair bottoming is what allows one to adjust the chair up and down. The nitrogen inside the cylinder switches the chambers within to allow such movement. Hence the reason your office chair sinks or keeps sliding down is because of either a faulty cylinder or the cylinder lift.
Can I Fix A Sinking Office Chair?
Yes, you can definitely chair bottoming. Buying a replacement cylinder or cylinder lift can be almost as costly as buying a new chair altogether. So there are some DIY tricks that you should try instead to fix your chair at one convenient height.
How To Fix An Office Chair That Won't Stay Up
Method 1: Using Hose Clamp
Hose clamps or jubilee clips are used to secure hoses onto pips, creating a seal and for this method, you would need a screwdriver and some duct tape along with a hose clamp.
Step 1: Fix the chair to your comfortable height
Once you use this method to fix your sinking chair, you wouldn't be able to adjust the height of your chair, so you must fix it to your convenience before applying this method. First, you need to lay your computer chair upside down and remove the plastic skirt.
To do this, you have to use your screwdriver to push the retaining clip off the base, remove the wheels, then the skirt, and then put the wheels back on.
Step 2: Wrap the hose clamp around the cylinder
Purchase a 2 cm hose clamp from a hardware store. You need to then loosen the screw on it and pull out the belt end. After this, slowly wrap it around the metal cylinder. At times, the clamp might lose its grip. So to improve the overall grip of the clamp, wrap a strip of duct tape around it. This will ensure that the clamp gets a very tight grip.
Step 3: Tighten the hose clamp
Once you have done with the above steps, push the hose clamp to the top of the cylinder and double-check the chair's height. Now, tighten it by pulling the clamp and rotate the screw to fasten it.
Step 4: Test the chair
If the job is done right, the chair should be unable to slide past the clamp. If the clamp still keeps sliding off, you need to fasten it over a strip of rubber to improve the grip.
Method 2: Replace the Gas Cylinder
The process of office chair repair can be time-consuming. If you do not have time to do DIY, you should consider replacing your gas cylinder. If you use the proper office chair cylinder, your chair could last you for six years or more.
Finding a standard cylinder fix should not be a problem as most office chairs use the same cylinder. It is still advisable to go with the brand of your particular office chair.
Method 3: Use a Plastic spacer or PVC pipe
Using a plastic spacer or a PVC pipe is another easy (even though temporary) fix for your sinking hydraulic chair.
Even though this is a temporary solution, if it is done right, it could keep the office chair sinking problem at bay for a long time.
WHEN SHOULD YOU BUY A NEW CHAIR?
Even though the above-mentioned methods are all tried and tested and proven effective, they might not work all the time. If your office chair won't stay up even after trying all this, then it is a sign that you should probably settle for a new chair altogether.
Like all things, chairs also have a life span, and once it outlives that, no amount of repair might be fruitful to bring them back. And no one wants to go to work only to find their office chair sinking. That is when you know it is time to invest in a new chair.
Conclusion
As we have already discussed, a faulty computer chair or a broken office chair can be very frustrating. Not only is your comfort compromised, but there are also some health issues, like neck and back pain that occur as a result of a chair that won't stay up. The methods mentioned in this guide could help you come up with a long-living chair for a better value for money before you move on to the last resort of buying a new chair. Not to mention the office chair repair skills that you will pick up while trying these tips out could come in handy in fixing some other things around the house or your office!
