Image Forming Apparatus and Condensation Reduction Method That Remove Condensation with Simple Configuration, and Recording Medium Therefor

A method for reducing condensation of an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a print medium, the method comprising:

• performing scanning by moving a running body having an onboard optical system;
• heating toner transferred onto the print medium and applying pressure on the heated toner with respect to the print medium to fix the toner;
• setting an estimated time when use of the image forming apparatus starts;
• and
• controlling the image reading process, the fixing process, and the time setting process;
• wherein
• the controlling includes activating, prior to the set estimated start-of-use time by a predetermined period set in advance, the image reading unit to detect whether condensation has occurred in the optical system, heating the fixing unit in response to a detection of occurrence of condensation, and stopping the heating before the estimated start-of-use time.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a control program for controlling an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a print medium,

• the image forming apparatus including
• an image reading unit including a scanning mechanism that performs scanning by moving a running body having an onboard optical system,
• a fixing unit that heats toner transferred onto the print medium and applies pressure on the heated toner with respect to the print medium to fix the toner, and
• a time setting unit that sets an estimated time when use of the image forming apparatus starts;
• wherein
• the control program causes the image forming apparatus to function as a control unit that controls the image reading unit, the fixing unit, and the time setting unit;
• and
• the control unit, prior to the set estimated start-of-use time by a predetermined period set in advance, activates the image reading unit to detect whether condensation has occurred in the optical system, heats the fixing unit in response to a detection of occurrence of condensation, and stops the heating before the estimated start-of-use time.