Can an Electric Oven Explode? Know the Truth!

Electric ovens make cooking, baking, and reheating easier than ever before. Nowadays, you will find an electric oven in virtually every kitchen due to its usefulness in many different ways. Rather than gas ovens, electric ovens are by far more common in terms of their functionality and safety. 

As an electric oven has no open flame or pilot light, and there is no possibility of leaking gas, your kitchen is safer than having a gas oven. Statistically, electric ovens have a positive reputation there.

But even though the incidents of explosions in electric ovens are exceedingly rare, there are some reported cases in this regard. So, if you have an electric oven, you need to know when it’s probably exploding and what safety measures you should take.

How Serious Can an Electric Oven Explosion Get?

However, the explosion we are referring to is not the kind of explosion you may imagine, such as when a fire starts and explodes on a massive scale before shattering into pieces. There hasn’t been any significant harm or injury, based on cases that have been documented. Nevertheless, you must not take any type of explosion lightly if you possess an electric oven.

Yes, An Oven Can Explode | Electric Oven Explosion Types

According to reported incidents and mechanisms, three types of explosions can happen in electric ovens:

• Heating Element Explosion
• Safety Glass Explosion
• Object Explosion

Heating Element Explosion

Electrical faults, overheated metal parts, and rapidly expanding hot air may cause an explosion in the heating element. All three of these factors will result in explosions inside the cooking compartment of your oven, which will make loud bangs and produce sparkles. The most likely reasons why an electric oven heating element may explode are as follows:

Overheating Elements

An extreme rise in temperature that is far higher than the element can withstand is the main reason for an explosive element in the oven. A resistive wire, string, or band makes up the heating element. Lots of heat is produced and dispersed throughout the oven compartment when electricity passes through those high-resistance components.

The outside covering (sheath) of such high-resistance materials provides excellent protection by preventing the material from getting into touch with your fingers or any other metal parts of the oven.

However, a number of defects can cause such materials to overheat over the limit of the metal sheath. The sheath may become damaged or break after reaching one certain temp, causing a huge blast and numerous sparks before the electronic device stops functioning entirely.

This occurs for a few reasons:

• Because of a faulty thermostat sends the oven to a temperature that is greater than what you have set for the oven.

• The primary control board has a relay that is jammed, causing it to operate the heating element when it shouldn’t.

• The oven was programmed to switch off automatically when the sensor module became faulty because it was unable to detect high heat.

Loose Connection

An explosion might be brought on by faulty electrical connections between the power source and the heating element. The connection allows electricity to flow through it, but a faulty electrical connection might result in abruptly high resistance, interrupting the power. An electrical malfunction explosion can occur when connections are unsecured because the temperature at such connections can occasionally rise significantly.

Exposed Receptacle Wires

Exposed electrical wires cause electrocution and may cause more serious issues like explosions in the heating element. The wire within the receptacle may spark an electric arc when it is exposed to air, which might then leap to neighboring metal components like the heating element. Then an electrical burst results from the air quickly expanding around the arc. In that case, your oven may blow up.

Safety Glass Explosion

Safety glass explosions are more common and more reported than other explosions. It may explode without even showing any signs of it, and it can break into micro pieces which may fly over your kitchen or even into your food. The safety glass of an electric oven is tempered glass, which is four times stronger than regular glass. It was designed to sustain more pressure and break more safely. 

The electric oven glass has been tested to withstand changes in temperature up to 1000 degrees Celsius, equivalent to 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit. When exposed to any temperature, the ordinary glass will easily shatter. For multiple reasons, an electric oven’s glass may explode. But most of them happen due to microscopic cracks that can develop from cleaning the glass. 

Unfortunately, these micro-cracks are not visible. You’ll realize there was a micro-crack after the glass shattered down or an explosion. But if you are aware of the reasons, you can take precautions. Micro-cracks develop from the following:

• Resting dishes, pots, or other items on an open glass door has a physical impact which may form tiny cracks.

• Forceful Cleaning: When cleaning glass, tiny cracks can form if you use too much force or don’t use the right tools.

• Fluctuating Temperature: Due to contrasting heat, the glass may explode. For example, placing a cold dish on the hot oven door may cause an explosion.

Object Explosion

This type of explosion may occur primarily as a result of two incidents:

• Use of Metallic Containers.
• Cooking Specific Foods

Generally, if you read the electric oven manuals, you will find those metallic containers are not recommended for cooking. Metallic containers themselves don’t make it explode. However, in containers with sharp edges or an uneven surface, the metal’s free electrons can form concentrated negative charges. When these charges are exposed to air particles, a spark can form. Those sparks can cause an explosion. 

Due to chemical substances or shape and structure, certain types of foods, such as grapes, eggs, peppers, etc., may cause an electric oven fire, leading to an explosion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are electric ovens safe to use?

Most users prefer electric ovens over gas ovens, mainly because of their multiple usefulness and safety. So, It’s completely safe to use an electric oven.

Is an electric oven explosion a very common incident?

No. Only a few cases have been reported regarding the explosion of electric ovens. An electric oven explosion may occur, but it’s rare.

Is it possible to avoid an electric oven explosion?

Definitely. With necessary precautions and following the manufacturer’s guidelines, you can avoid such an accident.

How to avoid an electric oven explosion?

• Read the manufacturer’s guidelines and follow them properly when choosing the power source. 

• Use your oven-friendly container.

• Don’t place flammable objects near the oven. 

• Always unplug the oven before doing manual cleaning.

At what temperature does electric oven glass explode?

The electric oven glass has been tested to endure changes in temperature up to 1000 degrees Celsius, which is equivalent to 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit

Conclusion

While electric stove fires are uncommon, you must understand what causes them to burst, prevent them, and what to do if they do. Protecting your life is essential, so get expert assistance whenever you believe anything isn’t operating properly.