Why does oven door glass explode and shatter?

We will share with you everything we know about why oven door glass can explode and shatter, how to clean it up safely, and how to prevent it. Sadly, this is not a rare situation as we receive calls and emails daily regarding someone's oven door glass erupting, sending shards flying all over their kitchen or dinner as a result. The problem can affect any oven brand, and there are many reasons why glass can explode. However, it is often hard to pinpoint the exact cause as the evidence is in hundreds of pieces on the floor.

Why does oven glass shatter or explode?

You might think that the glass on your oven door is breaking spontaneously, but it's more likely due to a series of micro-cracks that have developed over time, causing it to break. Tempered glass is used in the majority of modern ovens today, which is a type of glass that is manufactured at high temperatures and then rapidly cooled, making it four times tougher than regular glass.

A clear disadvantage of tempered glass is that it may 'explode when continuously stressed. A micro-crack caused by stress is not always noticeable until the glass cannot cope and shatters. Almost any impact on your oven glass can cause microcracks.

What causes oven door glass micro-cracks?

The micro-cracks we talk about on oven doors can be brought about by several factors, such as physical impact, forceful cleaning and fluctuating temperature.

Physical impact - When taking things into and out of the oven, it's often tempting to rest trays or dishes on the oven door. However, placing a hot dish on the glass won't help. It is also advisable to avoid slamming the door, kicking it closed with your foot, or allowing it to hit the metal shelves as it closes. Instead, consider telescopic shelves for a new oven, which can be pulled out without tipping so dishes can be loaded and unloaded easily.

Aggressive cleaning - A scourer product is commonly used to clean oven doors. It's tempting to get tough when you have stubborn cooking grime to remove, but it's not advisable. Any scourer can leave tiny scratches on the glass that can lead to it shattering, a warning you'll probably find buried in your oven's manual. Instead, use a soft sponge to wipe up spills soon after they happen so they don't have to be scrubbed.

Fluctuating Temperature - Temperature changes cause different materials to expand and contract at different rates. As the glass heats and cools, anything touching it can cause weaknesses. When cooking, avoid putting the dish in contact with the glass door, clean cooking grime from the glass, and avoid hanging wet towels on the handle.

How to prevent the oven door glass from shattering?

The best way to prevent the oven door glass from shattering is to treat the oven door with care by not allowing the door to slam and ensuring that all of the oven racks are pushed all the way in before attempting to close the door. In addition, it would be best if you never rested dishes or pans on your oven door as this can not only break your door glass but also cause damage to the hinges, hinge supports and frame of the oven cavity.

How to clean broken glass safely?

There are some fundamental rules and steps to follow when cleaning up broken glass.

Clear the area - Pets, children, or others should be moved out of the area where the glass broke. Block any open entrances to the cut glass area, and close any doors leading to it. Ensure all pets and children are kept in another room until the glass is cleaned up.

Protect yourself - While cleaning, wear gloves and long pants that cover your knees to protect yourself from broken glass. It would be best if you never kneeled on broken glass as the glass could cut your knee.

Get a broom and dustpan - The best way to get rid of the glass is to use a broom and dustpan to sweep it up and remove the bulk of the shattered glass into an empty container thick enough so the glass doesn't cut through. Keep in mind that by a broom, tiny shards of glass can linger in the broom's bristles and be aware that sweeping doesn't remove the small, sharp fragments of glass from most floors. However, sweeping can give the illusion that the glass is gone when sharp fragments remain.

Avoid using a vacuum cleaner - While vacuuming glass pieces may seem tempting, it can damage your machine. Furthermore, if any glass fragments remain in the vacuum hose, they may fall back out when the vacuum is turned off.

Clean the area with duct tape or a damp paper towel - It's a good idea to cut about 300mm off the duct tape. Then, holding each end of the tape, lay it against the surface where the glass fragments are found. Tape should be applied gently as if it were being applied to a surface. Remove the tape next. The tape's underside will be covered with glass fragments on the floor.

Clean the area with a damp paper towel - To pick up glass pieces left on the floor, you can use wet paper towels. Once you're done, you can throw the paper towels away.

How to repair an oven door glass?

Unfortunately, toughened glass found on oven doors can not be repaired and will need to be replaced once it has shattered. Therefore, it's imperative that the glass is replaced on your oven door as soon as possible and minimises oven usage to prevent any damage to the knobs and controls usually located above the oven door.

In most cases we deal with when it comes to oven doors and glass, only the original glass panel can be used on the oven if the oven was manufactured in the last ten years. This is especially true for brands such as Westinghouse, Chef, Smeg, Bosch, Beko, Electrolux, Fisher & Paykel, Miele and Euromaid, to name a few.

How much does an oven door glass cost?

The fact that your oven door glass just exploded might have you fuming, and for a good reason, as repair costs can be pretty high, with replacing an oven door glass being one of the most expensive repairs you'll ever have to make due to the cost of the part. The average oven door glass replacement cost is between $450.00 - $600.00, depending on the brand and model. However, we have done jobs on brands such as Miele, where the glass replacement cost totalled $1850. If you would like to know the cost of your glass replacement, don't hesitate to contact us with your brand and model, and our oven repair team will be able to provide you with an exact price.

What if the oven door glass is no longer available?

Sadly, this happens all too often as oven models age and manufacturers discontinue spare parts for those models. In very few cases, we can retrofit an alternative oven door. However, this is rare; the best option is to look at new oven options. Our team can advise what brands and models would be a direct fit for your existing oven cavity and even provide a delivery and installation service.

Can you still use an oven without the outer glass?

If the internal or external oven door glass has exploded, we recommend that you do not use the oven. While there might not be a significant change in the oven's internal temperature, there will be a safety issue with the oven door's external temperature as a result.

Can you re-glue clips & brackets to the oven door glass?

Some brands have a common issue: the bracket becomes un-glued and separated from the oven door glass. This does not require the complete door glass panel to be replaced as it can be re-glued and repaired. It takes a week to re-glue the existing oven door glass and clips. In the first step, we collect the complete oven door and take it to our workshop. After cleaning and preparing the surfaces of the parts, the parts are glued together. This special adhesive needs to be set for a few days without interference for the best results. Once the glass is repaired and the door is reassembled, it will be returned to you and fitted back into your oven.

What if you rent and the oven door glass breaks?

As of 2023, 31% of Australian households are rented, so it's not unusual for a tenant to discover they have to deal with a broken oven door glass situation. Before anything is cleaned up, we suggest taking a number of high-resolution photos of the oven and the area around it. This could help our team figure out why the glass broke and ensure that you as the tenant are not liable for the oven door glass damage. You should email your property manager as soon as possible with the photos and any additional information that you can provide.

Can The Appliance Guys help with my oven door glass?

Our Sydney oven repair team works with over 100+ brands, so don't stress The Appliance Guys are here to help. If you would like to know the cost of your glass replacement, don't hesitate to contact us with your brand and model, and we will be able to provide you with an exact price. In addition, our team can advise what brands and models would be a direct fit for your existing oven cavity and even provide a delivery and installation service.