Why Does Some Glass Top Gas Stoves Crack?
Facing situations like breaking, cracking or shattering of the glass surface while using a glass top gas stove occurs due to various reasons. Along with several benefits, its fragility is a big disadvantage, and you must be very careful while operating it.
Using a shattered glass top gas stove may cause great danger, so here in this article, we will know how does it crack, whether it is safe to use a broken glass top or not, and what to do if the glass top gets cracked.
What Is A Glass Top Gas Stove Made Of?
The top material of a glass top gas stove is mostly made up of hardened, tempered, or toughened glass. These are the best materials for having higher tensile strength and better resistance to heat and impact damage than ordinary glass, so they do not break easily. Sometimes ceramic and glass are blended together to make the top surface.
These stoves look sleek and gorgeous because of the crystal clear glass top surface. If you want a beautiful kitchen worthy of a delightful cooking experience, a glass top gas stove with hardened glass is an ideal choice.
The Reasons Behind Cracking Of Glass Top
There can be various reasons for a broken glass top gas stove. The main causes for cracking or shattering of the glass plate are-
1. Inadequate Quality Of Glass
If the glass material used for making the top surface is not of good quality, there are high chances that the material will certainly break or shatter at some point in time. Unlike hardened or tempered glass, untreated glass is not strong enough and easily breaks when exposed to heat. So, if your gas stove glass top is not manufactured through heat treatment, it can be shattered into many pieces.
If you check the pattern of breaking, you will notice that it happens more frequently for specific products. This is because of the quality of the glass. On the other hand, similar cracking does not happen for good-quality gas stoves like Prestige Royale Plus.
2. Manufacturing Defects
If the quality of the glass is adequate, but it still cracks, manufacturing defect can be the reason. If the glass top gas stove was already not designed or constructed in the right way, there might be some defects that may lead to its damage.
3. Sudden Temperature Fluctuation And Extreme Heat
If the quality of the glass is good and there are no manufacturing defects, the apparent reason is thermal shock. When the glass top at normal room temperature suddenly gets exposed to high temperature, there is a probability of shattering. Thus, controlling the flame temperature is necessary for smooth operation.
Sometimes hot spots on the glass occurs while cooking or reheating the food. Heavy spillage of hot food, heat-retaining cookware, and melting of any plastic or enameled material of the utensils can also cause cracking.
Moreover, if you continuously use a glass top gas stove for a very long period, the glass will continuously get exposed to extreme heat, weakening its strength and resulting in cracking. For this reason, people are often hesitant to use gas tandoors on the glass top gas stove which requires additional tools for safe cooking.
4. Impact Of Kitchenware
Although glass top stoves are durable, they cannot withstand the mishandling of heavy cookware. If you mistakenly drop a heavy object on the glass top, there are high chances that the gas stove glass top will crack.
Also, if you tug anything hard over the glass top, it will create micro scratches on the top surface, and with time, the crack propagates, and the glass top wears out, leading to its cracking.
Is It Safe To Use A Broken Glass Top Gas Stove?
No, it is unsafe to use any broken glass top gas stove. A cracked glass top can be very dangerous because you might hurt yourself while cooking. The metal frame can also get heated up, which is not good. So, for safety reasons, you must not use a stove with broken glass.
Can Gas Stove Glass Be Replaced?
Yes, you can replace the gas stove glass if it is broken. If there are only small cracks and marks on the glass top, you do not need to change the whole gas stove; you only need to replace the glass top, and it will also save your money.
Call a professional technician to do the job, preferably from the same brand the gas stove belongs to. The expert will replace it in a hassle-free way and will charge a particular amount for their services. The cost may vary from brand to brand.
If there are small cracks or breaks in your glass top, you can only change the top surface, but it is always value-for-money to replace the gas stove if the cracks are significantly large.
How To Prevent Damages And Cracks?
To avoid dealing with a broken gas stove glass top, you must know how to maintain the glass top of the stove. Here are a few tips that you must keep in mind to prevent any damage or cracks in your glass top-
Choose Good Quality Gas Stove From A Reputed Brand
Always choose the best gas stove from a reputed brand with a good track record when buying a glass top gas stove. Such brands usually have ISI certification and ensure the topmost quality to prevent damages and cracks.
Also, keep the instructions from the user manual in mind while operating the gas stove. Also, if you face any issues, ensure that you contact the manufacturer without further delay.
Use Appropriate Cookware
Try using lightweight utensils while you cook on a glass top gas stove. Aluminum or stainless steel cookware with a flat bottom and even surface is the best fit for a glass surface. Avoid using heavy kitchenware made of ceramic or cast iron, as they have an uneven surface, so they are likely to create marks and scratches on the glass top.
Clean The Glass Top Regularly
Make sure that you clean the glass top every time you finish cooking. It will prevent any build-ups and hot spots which may have been caused due to food residues.
Also, wiping with a wet cloth will help in cooling down the glass top. You can clean any gas stove with vinegar or baking soda with the help of a toothbrush or soft cloth. But never use an abrasive cleaner as it can slowly damage the glass.
Handle The Utensils Correctly
Never keep any heavy utensils on the glass top as they may fall on the surface, resulting in cracks. Always lift the objects from the glass top and never slide them to avoid scratches. Moreover, when you cook on a glass top gas stove, ensure the bottom of utensils is cleaned to prevent any unnecessary accumulation of residuals on the top surface.
Conclusion
A glass top gas stove can surely add to the joy of cooking with its excellent heating and cooling speed, sleek design, and better heat distribution. However, maintaining it is quite a difficult task to perform every day. But, if you have the proper guidance, you can save your glass top stove from any scratches or breakage and enjoy its facilities for a longer period.
If you like to explore other options, compare glass top vs stainless steel gas stove as the latter is the best alternative to the former one. I hope the article was helpful enough to provide you with the necessary guidance that you needed on the details regarding the broken glass top gas stove. So now, when you know why a glass top breaks, you can avoid those actions to prevent your gas stove from any damage.
