GE Oven Door Glass Shattered? Here’s What To Do

GE oven door glass shattering is rare, but it can happen. In 2015, for example, The Safety Institute asked the US Consumer Product Safety Commission to investigate widespread incidences of oven door breakage, and GE accounted for 87 of the 300 reported cases. So, why would a GE oven door shatter into pieces?

There are two main causes a GE oven door will break or shatter:

• Impurities in Oven Door Glass
• Oven Door Glass Mishandling

To help you avoid the shock and desperation that could come with an oven door shattering, I put together this article explaining the two top reasons a GE oven will shatter. I will also give you the step-by-step solution to this oven mishap. Find out the details in the rest of the article.

Impurities in Oven Door Glass

According to GE Appliances, oven doors are made of heat-strengthened glass to help them withstand the heat in the oven or any external impact. In addition, all GE ranges and oven door glass meet the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standards.  

GE explains that if your GE oven door glass breaks, the glass may have minute impurities. These impurities can cause the door to fail the heat test over usage time. 

Additionally, should a GE oven door glass break, it should shatter into small pieces, and not large glass pieces. A shattered GE oven door glass has to be replaced.

How To Replace GE Oven Door Shattered Glass

You cannot foresee purchasing an oven with impurities in the oven door glass. If you are unlucky enough to own a GE oven with impurities in the glass door, the only option you have is to replace the oven door when it’s shattered.

You can easily replace a shattered GE oven door following these steps:

1. Prepare a glass-safe working area before starting the oven door replacement process. You can do that by spreading a towel or carpet on the floor.
2. Open the oven door completely. You may need to pull the hinge locks at the lower corners to bring them to the complete unlocked position. Check your Owner’s Manual for specifications on how to remove your oven door
3. Lift the oven door while holding it in a firm grip until the slots leave the hinges. Place the oven door on the working space you prepared earlier.
4. Remove the screws that hold the door barrier and the lower trim. You can now easily slide the old door glass flame out of the door.
5. Slide the new oven door glass where the old one was. Ensure the rough side of the glass goes in first.
6. Replace the lower trim and the door barrier and follow the reverse steps to slide back the oven door. Then firm it in its place with the hinges.

You can find a visual aid to performing these steps in this YouTube video by RepairClinic:

If your GE oven door is free of impurities, the only other reason it will break is if it is mishandled.

Oven Door Glass Mishandling

However hard it might be, glass is generally meant to be handled with care. When it comes to oven door glass, mishandling could mean one of these situations:

• Using the oven door to push racks into the oven.
• Consistently hitting the glass with cookware.
• Scratching the oven door with sharp objects.

All three situations will weaken your oven door and cause it to break with time. 

How To Handle Oven Door Properly and Preempt Glass Shattering

To avoid weakening your GE oven door glass, use these handling precautions: 

• Never close your oven door without ensuring the oven racks are completely pushed into place.
• Never push the oven racks into the oven with the door.
• Avoid hitting or scratching your oven door with cooking pans and pots or other objects that may have an impact on the glass.

As a general precaution, never use an oven if you notice any signs of cracks on the oven door. Instead, replace the glass before the worst happens or schedule a GE oven door repair appointment with GE Appliances Factory Service. The surface burners can still be used.