Can I Use My Oven if the Glass Door is Broken?

Your kitchen is the busy heart of your home and you have found yourself with a cracked or broken oven door. Whether you dropped something on it or it was hit by an object, you might be wondering if your oven is still safe to use with broken door glass.

It is not recommended to use an oven if the inside or the outside glass is broken in your oven. If the outer glass is broken, feel it for excessive heat which indicates that the door needs to be changed. If the inner tempered glass is broken, it should be replaced as the door exterior will become dangerously hot.

It is less than ideal to have to replace your oven door however there are instances where it may be necessary and other instances where it can be put off for a little while.

Is it Safe to Use an Oven with Broken Glass?

Usually, an oven with a broken glass door is safe to use however there are some instances where it is unsafe and should not be attempted. Older ovens will typically have at least two panes of glass built into the door whereas newer ovens may have up to four layers. The added layers not only improve energy efficiency by keeping the heat in but should breakage occur, it is likely to impact only one layer.

Regardless of which layer has broken, if the glass has completely shattered, it should be replaced promptly to avoid cuts and shards of glass from ending up in unwanted places. If the outer glass has a crack in it, turn your oven on to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and carefully feel the area where there is a crack.

If it is uncomfortably hot to touch, this means the insulation efficacy of the door has been compromised and should be replaced sooner than later. If the area on or around the crack feels lightly and tolerably warm, it should be okay to use until you are ready to replace it.

Can You Use Your Oven if the Outer Glass is Broken?

If the outer glass of your oven door is broken, it is generally still safe to use unless it is completely shattered in which case, it loses much of its heat insulation quality and you risk cutting or injuring yourself or others from the glass shards.

If the outer glass is cracked, one way to test it is to heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once heated, feel the area around the crack. If it is unbearably hot, the door should be replaced. If it is just a little warm but tolerable, it is safe to use until you are ready to replace it.

In that case, you should continue to check the crack for heat each time you use the oven as changes could indicate that it is time to change it right away.

Can You Use Your Oven if the Inner Glass is Broken?

You need to proceed with caution if the inner glass of your oven door is broken compared to the outer glass. Again, if the inner glass is completely shattered, it should not be used to avoid injuries and unwanted shards of glass in your food or other areas.

The inner glass acts as the strongest barrier to insulate against heat and once it is broken, the exterior of the oven door will likely overheat when in use and become a burn risk. If the inner glass has a small crack, use the same method of heating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and feel the exterior of the door.

If the outer door and layers feel lightly warm, it should be safe to use for a little while longer. If the outer door is unbearably hot, the door should be replaced as soon as possible.

Can You Replace Oven Door Glass?

If the glass on your oven door has been cracked, you may be wondering if you can replace just the glass and the answer is yes. It is relatively easy to replace oven door glass but you should keep in mind that it cannot be replaced with any glass.

Oven door glass should be replaced with tempered glass specifically designed to withstand the high temperatures of an oven. Replacement oven glass can be found at most major hardware stores.

Can You Replace an Oven Door?

If it is easier, you can replace the whole oven door. This option can be useful if multiple layers of glass were broken, the break was major, or if there are also other issues with the door. The plus side to this is that oven doors are built to keep the heat in efficiently, and replacing the whole door won’t compromise any potential heat loss that may happen if just the glass pane is replaced.

How to Replace an Oven Door (Remove and Reinstall)

Removing an oven door and reinstalling it is a process that you can typically do yourself. This video explains how to do so although it should be noted that the process may vary slightly based on the make and model of your oven.

If you are unsure, you can refer to the manufacturer’s guide that came with your oven or you can call an appliance repair service to replace the door for you.

What Should You Do if Your Inner Oven Door Shattered from Normal Use?

If your oven door shattered from normal use, this may indicate faults or weak points in how it was manufactured. If it was recently purchased, reach out to the retailer to see if their warranty of the appliance covers replacement and repair. Typically, most retailers offer a 30-day warranty.

If it has been well over 30 days, your oven might be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. Typically, appliances are covered for up to a year unless an extended warranty plan was purchased. For this reason, it is wise to keep your receipts when purchasing appliances until the warranty date has passed.

In most cases, the manufacturer will cover the repair or replacement of the faulty appliance but you should check with your specific oven manufacturer.

What to do if You Broke Your Oven Door?

If your oven door broke due to an accident such as pets, kids, or you happened to drop something on it, etc.…, then it may not be covered by warranty. It is best to reach out to the retailer you purchased it from or the manufacturer to check their warranty policies. There is a chance that they may cover the replacement of the door but this can vary based on the cause of the breakage and how long the appliance has been owned.

Final Thoughts

Having your oven door break can be stressful but it is helpful to know that there are a few options to replace it and even better to know that you can usually hold off replacing it if the break is minor and there is no extreme heat loss when in use.

If you broke your heating element in two check out this article here for more information on what to do.