The primary risk associated with an unbalanced Fountain Solution is Scumming, where ink contaminates the non-image areas of the plate due to inadequate water repulsion. This failure in the water-ink balance results in undesired marks and dirty backgrounds. If the solution is improperly regulated (e.g., unsuitable pH), it can lead to excessive ink-in-water emulsification, causing smearing and quality degradation. Additionally, the inevitable excess moisture transferred into the ink slows down the drying process. This delay directly increases the risk of severe production problems such as Setoff (ink transferring to the back of the next sheet). Printing specialists must test the new solution and record new Ink Transfer Curves to maintain the highest level of stability.