Ergonomic chairs make your office stay more conducive and productive due to their individualised comfort. An office chair with an adjustable mechanism offers unprecedented support, especially in terms of its height. With an ergonomic chair being a huge furniture investment, it’s crucial to maintain its quality for years, especially when it's used almost every day.
An office chair that often breaks down or sinks is truly a nuisance. It does not only affect your comfort but also takes up your time whenever you try to fix it.
Does your ergonomic chair sink often? Is there any permanent fix for this issue? We’ll help you identify some common problems that cause an adjustable chair to sink and find some solutions.
Why Does an Office Chair Sink?
Sinking can happen to all adjustable office chairs due to frequent use. Let’s talk about the mechanism of an office chair to identify how it works.
If you examine the base of your office chair, you will notice a cylinder that connects the chair base to the seat. This cylinder typically contains nitrogen gas within its chamber, which allows the chair to go up and down. When you adjust your office chair, the gas changes its chamber within the cylinder. A lever will then be used to lock the height and make it safe to use.
If your office chair is constantly sinking, your chair cylinder is the problem. This is due to frequent use, which is a given for many office setups. With excessive usage, the seal that locks in the gas wears out and leaks, causing the cylinder to lose its ability to support the weight. This drops the chair to the bottom.
How to Stop Office Chair from Sinking?
The best fix for a sinking office chair is to change its gas cylinder, which is undeniably challenging and oftentimes not feasible. Fortunately, there are some quick fixes that you can try to still maintain your desired chair height despite your broken office chair cylinder. These can be done at home, however, and are temporary fixes.
Use a Hose Clamp
This is a cheap, easy, and accessible office chair fix that you can do at home. Set your office chair to your desired height and place a size 20 or 3/4" diameter hose clamp around the top of the cylinder. Wrap duct tape around the cylinder for a better grip, then tighten the hose clamp. This can be an easy solution if you are working from home, where the physical appearance of your office chair is not as crucial. You can also do this trick if you are waiting to buy a new office chair.
Use a Plastic Spacer
Another temporary material that you can use at home is a plastic spacer or a PVC pipe. This can help support the weight of the chair while maintaining its ideal height. To do this, you can remove the piston part connected to the seat to insert the pipe before putting it back. You may also cut down the centre of the plastic spacer and wrap it around the piston of the cylinder. This will require the help of duct tape to maintain its stability.
The pipe should be the right size to maintain the ideal height of your office chair. This is a quick and temporary fix that you can do at home, but it can surely last for a longer time compared to the first method.
Replace Your Office Chair Cylinder
This might look quite a bit daunting, but aside from buying a new office chair, changing your chair cylinder is the best fix for the problem. A swivel office chair cylinder is surprisingly easy to find, especially since many office chairs are built with the same measurements. A permanent fix for a sinking office chair is to replace its cylinder. This will allow you to enjoy the rest of your chair’s lifespan.
When to Replace Your Office Chair
On some occasions, the DIY solutions might not work perfectly, especially since they are only meant to be temporary fixes. If the method above does not suffice, or if replacing your office chair cylinder is too much work, it’s high time to invest in a better office chair. Plus, a broken office chair cylinder is an indication that your furniture is nearing the end of its lifespan.
In an office setup, it's crucial to prioritise your comfort while keeping a professional look within your workplace. Invest in a high-quality ergonomic office chair in Singapore for guaranteed comfort and durability.
How to Prevent Your Office Chair from Sinking
When you invest in an office chair, the last thing you want is to experience the same issues again. Here’s how you can take care of your ergonomic chair and prevent it from sinking.
- Exercise care when sitting or standing up from your office chair. High-quality ergonomic chairs are notably durable. However, it’s always good to treat your chair with utmost care.
- Choose an ergonomic chair that fits your physical needs. Office chairs have weight limits that you should check before purchasing. Once you buy an ergonomic chair that fits your body’s requirements, be sure to not put too much pressure on your chair by placing heavy objects like paper files or equipment on the seat.
- Cover your chair’s cylinder with a plastic skirt to prevent dirt from entering the component.
- Clean your office chair regularly to make sure that it can operate smoothly all the time. Visit our guides to cleaning leather and mesh office chairs to find out how you can take care of your office chair based on its material.
Takeaway
Office chairs are big and significant investments in offices and the home workplace. To benefit from your office chair for many years, make sure to give your office furniture the care that it deserves.
Looking for a high-quality ergonomic chair? Browse through Megafurniture’s collection of office chairs in Singapore to find the best piece for your needs.