From her kitchen, Willie Mae Truesdale heard a huge explosion. Upon closer inspection, she saw her glass oven door broken and scattered across the floor. She said, “You had to really see it to believe it. It was shocking.” It was as absurd as it could be. Glass broke and was scattered across the floor. Her oven wasn’t even turned on at the time, which added to the uncertainty. Even more terrifying is the fact that Truesdale is not the only homeowner whose oven blew up.
The Strange Story of Glass Oven Doors Exploding
A suburban mother named Cheryl had through a similar shock during the COVID-19 quarantine. Her attempt at baking brownies resulted in a mushy center. Even though her oven was only three months old, she could tell it was roughly 25 degrees wrong. Following the quarantine, she contacted an expert to repair her equipment. She did, however, choose to start it on a self-cleaning cycle initially. The inner glass over the door smashed into the oven at the end, and there was a thunderous explosion.
However, Michelle Wheat’s oven door exploded, scattering glass over her kitchen. Wheat’s three-year-old oven wasn’t on at the moment, much like Truesdale’s. Fortunately, the glass didn’t hurt any of her four little children. Similar to Truesdale, Cheryl’s oven was a Bosch, although there have also been stories of glass doors blowing out on other manufacturers. Truesdale’s oven was a Frigidaire. Actually, since 2019, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has received over 450 notifications regarding this incident.
Regretfully, following the occurrence, the three women had difficulties with the producers. Even though the Truesdale oven was off and still covered by warranty, the Frigidaire technician blamed the family for the explosion. She was therefore had to pay cash for a new door. Fortunately, Cheryl’s oven was replaced by Bosch after NBC contacted them for an explanation.
Wheat’s oven was out of warranty, so she had to pay the technician $100. After that, he informed her that the glass was damaged and that the family would need to spend an additional $314 on a replacement, costing them $314. In case this occurred again, Frigidaire advised Wheat to get an extended warranty. “This shouldn’t have happened,” said the irate mother of six children. “I was attempting to convey that point to them,”
What Leads to Oven Door Shattering?
Oven glass can spontaneously shatter in two different ways, according to Mark Meshulam of Chicago Window Expert. One type of oven glass is soda lime glass, often known as window glass, and it is rapidly heated and cooled to create a tempered surface. Oven doors are made of that particular kind of glass. Glass made of borosilicate is another kind. It is most frequently employed in scientific glassware or vintage Pyrex glass, which is extremely heat- and cold-tolerant. As a result, the switch to soda lime glass has increased the frequency of these kinds of breakage as it is less resilient to heat cycles.
However, it’s also possible that a tiny glass imperfection called a nickel sulfide inclusion is the source of the explosions. Its diameter is just a hundredth of a millimeter. The little ball has certain peculiar characteristics. With time, it’s trying to escape, Meshulam continued. And occasionally a high-heat incident, such as an oven cleaning incident, might eventually cause the underlying spontaneous breakdown.
Meshulam assures customers, however, that the self-cleaning mechanism of ovens is secure. According to him, “the majority of people will use the self-cleaning feature their entire lives and not really encounter this problem.” In addition, he thinks that ovens that blow when off are caused by tiny chips and defects. However, the most terrifying aspect of this potential is that the door may break long after the original damage has occurred.
Preventive Advice
These microscopic areas of damage can occasionally occur during manufacture, transportation, or installation. Homeowners have little control over these circumstances, but there are steps they may take to prevent harm. For example, the glass may get minute chips or scratches from a few frequent behaviors. These include using excessively forceful cleaning methods and personal contact.
Thus, it’s best to use soft sponges and brushes instead of scouring equipment. In addition, when removing food from the oven, avoid setting trays or plates on the door. Do not kick or bang the door shut. Make sure the trays and racks are where they should be; do not push the racks back with the door. While you’re about it, make sure the oven dish isn’t in contact with the door and make sure damp towels aren’t hanging from the handle. Over time, the glass may get weaker if it is exposed to two distinct temperatures.
