Willie Mae Truesdale was startled by a loud explosion emanating from her kitchen. Investigating the source, she was astounded to find her oven’s glass door shattered into pieces scattered across the floor. “It was shocking, you had to see it to believe it,” she recounted.
“It was like, what in the world? Glass shattered everywhere,” Truesdale exclaimed. Adding to the perplexity, her oven wasn’t even in use at the time. And what’s even more alarming: Truesdale isn’t alone in experiencing such a phenomenon.
The Mystery of Exploding Glass Oven Doors
Cheryl, a suburban mother, encountered a similar ordeal during the COVID-19 lockdown. Attempting to bake brownies, she discovered they were undercooked in the middle. Despite her oven being just three months old, she realized its temperature was off by about 25 degrees. After the lockdown, she called in a professional to rectify the issue. However, before the technician could arrive, she initiated a self-cleaning cycle. Towards the cycle’s end, a deafening explosion resounded, shattering the inner glass of the oven door.
Michelle Wheat faced a similar plight when her oven door exploded, leaving glass strewn across her kitchen. Like Truesdale, Wheat’s three-year-old oven was inactive at the time. Fortunately, her four young children escaped unharmed from the shattered glass. While Truesdale’s oven was from Frigidaire and Cheryl’s from Bosch, incidents of exploding glass doors aren’t limited to specific brands. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has received approximately 450 reports of such occurrences since 2019.
Regrettably, all three women encountered difficulties with the manufacturers following the incidents. While Truesdale’s oven was still under warranty, Frigidaire’s technician attributed the explosion to the family, despite the oven being off. Consequently, Truesdale had to bear the cost of a new door out of her own pocket. Fortunately, Bosch replaced Cheryl’s oven after NBC intervened.
Meanwhile, Wheat’s oven was no longer under warranty, leading to an additional expense of $314 to replace the shattered glass. Frigidaire’s suggestion for Wheat to purchase an extended warranty left the frustrated mother of six questioning the occurrence: “This should not have happened,” she asserted.
What Causes Oven Doors to Shatter?
Mark Meshulam of Chicago Window Expert sheds light on the matter: “There are two scenarios of why oven glass can break spontaneously.” He explains that soda lime glass, commonly used in oven doors, isn’t as tolerant of rapid temperature changes compared to borosilicate glass. This shift in glass type has contributed to an increase in such incidents.
However, it’s also probable that these explosions stem from a nickel sulfide inclusion, an extremely small flaw within the glass. “It’s only about a tenth of a millimeter in diameter. That little ball has some peculiar properties,” Meshulam explained, further adding, “over time, it’s struggling to escape. And sometimes, a high-heat event like oven cleaning can trigger the final spontaneous failure that was already present.”
Nonetheless, Meshulam offers reassurance regarding the safety of oven self-cleaning features. “Most people will go their entire lives using the self-cleaning feature without encountering this issue,” he remarked. He also suggests that microscopic chips and flaws are often the culprits behind oven explosions when they are not in use. However, what’s particularly alarming about this scenario is that the door can shatter long after the initial damage occurs.
Tips for Prevention
While some of these tiny points of damage may occur during production, shipping, or installation, homeowners can take steps to minimize damage at home. For instance, certain common habits can lead to microscopic scratches or chips on the glass. These include using aggressive cleaning techniques and subjecting the glass to excessive physical impact.
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A farmer comes across military equipment hidden on his land. When he finds out who owns it, he is completely astonished
Cory, a hardworking farmer, unexpectedly inherited a difficult land due to its rugged terrain. Little did he know that this seemingly unremarkable plan concealed a secret that would change his life forever.
While exploring his new property last week, Cory came across a strange metal object that turned out to be military equipment. He took photos of his discovery and reached out to an old friend, a general, who was both amazed and unsure of what to do next.
The general’s reaction was shocking. “Cory, you must leave the area quietly,” he warned. “You were not meant to find this.” Cory was both confused and intrigued by the general’s words.
Undeterred, Cory continued his investigation, discovering bizarre objects along the way. Today’s discovery, however, exceeded all expectations: a capsule of World War II-era military equipment buried deep in his land. Cory could hardly believe what he had discovered.
He quickly took more photos and called his friend the general, who soon called back to order him to clear the site, revealing that his discovery was linked to a covert operation.
Initially baffled, Cory soon understood the significance of this revelation. He deciphered the coordinates on the device, located a place deep in the Utah woods, and felt the urge to find out the truth.
Traveling through picturesque villages and dense forests, Cory encountered unusual wildlife and eventually discovered an abandoned bunker. Inside, he found a notebook belonging to JG, the capsule’s owner, full of memories from his time as a soldier in World War II.
When Cory returned home with newfound information, he contacted JG’s family and learned that he had been missing since the war. Decades later, the family gained closure and was eventually reunited with some of his belongings.
Cory’s unexpected journey from farming to solving a World War II mystery shows how curiosity can reveal hidden stories in even the most unremarkable landscapes.
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