“When home appliances break down, the kitchen—which should be a place of comfort and culinary exploration—can quickly become a confusing and anxious place. The unsettling occurrence of glass oven doors breaking suddenly has shocked homeowners and presented unanticipated risks. The shocking reality of an oven door exploding even when the appliance is off is demonstrated by, among other accounts, the experience of Willie Mae Truesdale. A more thorough investigation into the reasons behind these unexpected and potentially dangerous events has been prompted by this intriguing and concerning trend that has been seen across various brands and models.”
Willie Mae Truesdale heard a loud explosion from the kitchen. Upon closer inspection, she found that her glass oven door was broken and scattered across the floor. “It was shocking and you really had to see it to believe it,” she said. It was as absurd as could be. The glass broke and spilled all over the floor.” Her oven wasn’t even on at the time, adding to the confusion. Even scarier is the fact that Truesdale isn’t the only homeowner whose oven blew up.
The strange story of the exploding glass furnace door
A suburban mom named Cheryl went through a similar shock during the COVID-19 quarantine. Her attempt to bake brownies resulted in a soggy center. Even though her oven was only three months old, she knew it was about 25 degrees. After the quarantine, she contacted an expert to repair her appliance. But she decided to start a self-cleaning cycle first. The inner glass above the door shattered into the oven towards the end and there was a loud explosion.
However, Michelle Wheat’s oven door exploded, scattering glass all over her kitchen. Wheat’s three-year-old oven wasn’t on, and neither was Truesdale. Fortunately, none of her four young children were injured by the glass. Similar to Truesdale, Cheryl’s oven was a Bosch, but there have also been reports of broken glass doors on other brands. Truesdale’s oven was a Frigidaire. In fact, as of 2019, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has received roughly 450 reports regarding this incident.
Unfortunately, the three women encountered problems with the producers after the event. Although the Truesdale oven was turned off and still under warranty, a Frigidaire technician blamed the explosion on the family. She was therefore obliged to pay for the new door in cash. Fortunately, Bosch replaced Cheryl’s oven when NBC contacted them to ask for their thoughts.
The wheat oven was out of warranty so she had to pay the technician $100. He then informed her that the glass was broken and that the family would have to spend another $314 to replace it, which would cost them $314. In case this happens again, Frigidaire advised Wheat to purchase an extended warranty. “It shouldn’t have happened like this,” said the angry mother of six. “That was the point I was trying to make to them.
What causes the oven door to break?
According to Chicago window expert Mark Meshulam, “oven glass can spontaneously crack for two reasons.” Soda-lime glass, also known as window glass, is one group of furnace glass that is rapidly heated and cooled to harden. The oven door is made of this particular type of glass. Another type is glass made from borosilicate. it is used in laboratory glass or historic Pyrex glass, which is extremely resistant to heat and cold. As a result, because soda-lime glass is less resistant to thermal cycling, there has been an increase in these types of cracks since its introduction.”
However, it is also possible that the source of the explosions is a tiny glass defect called a nickel sulfide inclusion. Its diameter is only a tenth of a millimeter. That little ball has some strange properties.” Meshulam continued, “It’s trying to escape through time. And occasionally, a high-temperature incident, such as an oven-cleaning incident, can end up causing a spontaneous breakdown that was there.”
However, Meshulam assures people that the ovens’ self-cleaning feature is safe. “Most people go through their whole lives using the self-cleaning feature and don’t really encounter this problem,” he said. Additionally, they think that furnaces that crack when shut down are caused by small chips and defects. However, the scariest aspect of this option is that the door can break long after the initial damage has occurred.
Preventive advice
These microscopic areas of damage may occasionally appear during manufacturing, shipping, or installation. Homeowners have no control over these circumstances, but they can take steps to prevent damage. For example, the glass may have microscopic chips or scratches from a few common habits. These include the use of overly violent cleaning methods and physical contact.
Therefore, it is best to use soft sponges and brushes instead of cleaning tools. In addition, avoid placing trays or dishes on the door when removing food from the oven. Do not kick or close the door. Make sure the trays and racks are where they should be; do not slide the door compartments back. While doing this, make sure the oven tray is not in contact with the door and make sure there are no wet towels hanging from the handle. Over time, glass can weaken if exposed to two different temperatures.
An unnerving and potentially dangerous occurrence, broken oven doors have left homeowners like Willie Mae Truesdale, Cheryl, and Michelle Wheat confused and dealing with unexpected expenses. Instances of oven glass doors exploding even when the oven is turned off or during routine operations such as self-cleaning cycles have caused concern and frustration among consumers. Brands such as Frigidaire and Bosch have been linked to these incidents, raising questions about the safety and reliability of their products.
The causes of these explosions vary, often attributed to the thermal properties of the glass used in the furnace doors, such as soda-lime glass, and the presence of minute defects such as nickel sulfide inclusions. Despite assurances from experts that these incidents are relatively rare, the possibility of glass damage over time remains, raising safety concerns for users.
As manufacturers and homeowners grapple with warranty issues and repair costs, preventative measures appear to be a critical aspect of averting potential oven door mishaps. Simple habits such as gentle cleaning, handling the door with care, and avoiding exposing the glass to sudden temperature changes or physical impact can mitigate the risk of microscopic damage that could culminate in an explosion.
As a result of these incidents, consumers are advised to exercise caution and adopt careful oven door maintenance practices to minimize the likelihood of damage. As manufacturers continue to address and correct reported issues, homeowners are encouraged to be vigilant and take precautions to protect against the possibility of glass doors exploding to ensure the safety and longevity of their kitchen appliances.