How Can a Microwave Break: 10 Ways You May Be Destroying Your Appliance

We all know microwaves are one of the most crucial appliances in our homes. From reheating leftovers to defrosting frozen food, microwaves are present in nearly every kitchen.

There are many ways microwaves can break down, so it’s important to understand how they work and what you may be doing that could damage your appliance.

So, How Can a Microwave Break: 10 Ways You May Be Destroying Your Appliance is discussed.

Related Article: Why Do Microwave Plates Break?

Microwaves operate with electromagnetic waves

Microwaves operate with electromagnetic waves. Microwaves are most effective when the wave is perpendicular to the food.

However, if microwaves are not positioned correctly it can cause microwave energy to reflect inside the oven. This reflection will cause major damage to your machine.

Moving on, microwaves don’t work well with metallic objects in them– they buckle and distort the waves that pass through them.

The waves that come into contact with the metal object bounce off in different directions instead of uniformly heating up food like they should be doing.

This causes holes in your popcorn bag or ice cream container and may even start a fire in your microwave.

Another way microwaves can break down is if you have too many items in the oven at one time. When there’s not enough space for microwaves to pass through, it can lead to uneven heating and a breakdown of your appliance.

Also, people often forget that a microwave should NEVER be turned on while empty or without a dish inside it.

The high-powered microwaves will bounce off from the sides of the oven and create an explosion which can leave you injured.

Look out for the following 10 things that might damage your microwave

When microwaving food, it’s important to cover the dish with a lid or a microwave-safe plastic wrap so that no steam escapes.

If the food is not properly wrapped, it can create a lot of moisture and may cause a fire in your oven if it blows up.

It’s also important to keep all metal objects away from your microwave while cooking. Metal can disrupt the waves and cause sparks to occur.

The same goes for cleaning your microwave with abrasive products like steel wool. Steel wool can damage the inside of your appliance which leads to breakage.

It’s best to use sponges or damp cloths when cleaning your microwave instead.

Microwaves are also sensitive to humidity levels, so be sure the area around your microwave is dry before using it.

Microwaves are also susceptible to breaking if not securely mounted on walls or cabinets. If you mount yours, make sure there is at least six inches of space between the back of the device and any surface behind it (especially cabinets).

If you have an older model of microwave, make sure its power settings are set at medium or below for at least three minutes before cooking anything in order to prevent overheating.

If you don’t, this could lead to fire hazards and even explosions. It’s best not to cook more than two minutes at full power unless necessary because microwaves operate better when they’re used for shorter periods of time on lower settings.

You’re using the wrong wattage of microwave

If you’re using a low wattage microwave to cook food that needs heavier wattage, the appliance may not be able to heat the food evenly, or it may even damage the microwave.

If a microwave is too small for your food, it may not cook evenly, or some parts of it may even get burnt. Microwave wattage is measured in kilowatts (kW). Standard microwaves have a capacity of between 700 and 1,100 watts.

If you’re cooking something that requires a higher wattage than your microwave has, you can always put the food in for a shorter amount of time, so that it’s not in there for too long.

Your food has too much liquid in it

If the food you’re microwaving has too much liquid in it, it can splatter the microwave with water. While this can be easily cleaned up, it can also cause damage to your microwave.

The microwave’s water sensor will detect the water, which may cause the microwave to shut off. In some cases, the sensor may even cause the microwave to trip a circuit breaker.

However, if you put the food in a microwave-safe bowl, it’s less likely to overheat your microwave. If the microwave detects water in the food, it will automatically start a cleaning cycle that’ll wipe away any mess that’s been made.

Your food has tin foil in it

Tin foil shouldn’t be used in a microwave. It may cause sparks, which can damage the food and the microwave. You should avoid putting any food in the microwave that has a foil covering.

If you have food that has a foil covering, remove the foil before putting it in the microwave. If you’re not sure what to do with it, you may want to remove the foil and then wrap the food in some paper.

This’ll allow you to microwave the food safely. Tin foil can be used for many things, but it’s not meant for use inside a microwave.

Depressing the button without anything in the oven

Always make sure that you have food in the oven to start the cooking process before you press the start button. If you don’t and you press the start button, the microwave may start running, but nothing will happen.

A microwave needs energy to begin the cooking process. So when you press the start button, the microwave begins pulling energy from the electrical supply through the start button. If nothing is in the microwave to absorb that energy, the energy travels back through the button and into the electrical supply.

Don’t use metal cooking utensils

Microwaves work best when metal utensils are not used. When you use a metal cooking utensil, the electric field is distorted, which affects the waves’ ability to penetrate food.

If you’re using a “reheating” type of meal, you should remove the lid before microwaving it. If you’re using canned goods or containers with plastic lids, make sure they have been loosened before heating them in the microwave oven.

Never use a sharp object to stir food in the plate

Sharp objects, like knives, can cause harm to your microwave oven. The microwaves are attracted to the sharp object and is reflected into the food for a second time, causing it to heat up quickly.

You may also notice that the food is not heated evenly which can result in burnt spots on your food.

Never use a fork or knife to lift food out of a plate

You may have heard this before, but it’s something that is not often practiced. When microwaves are being used, the food in the container or plate can go flying if you use a fork or knife to lift anything out of the plate.

The utensils could easily break your microwave by poking holes in the glass windows.

Avoid using a pot holder to open the door

One of the most common ways people damage their microwave is by using a pot holder to open the door. This can damage the door seal which will make it more difficult for the hob to get its job done.

When this happens, food won’t cook evenly and there’s a chance that it could leak into the surrounding cabinets or drawers.

One way to remedy this is to use a paper towel or oven mitt when opening the door to prevent any accidental contact with the metal surface.

Don’t cook anything other than food in your oven

One of the most common ways a microwave can break is when you cook anything other than food in it. If you put a cup of water or a bowl of soup in your microwave, the results may not be what you expect.

The microwaves will heat up the water and cause it to boil, which can cause your microwave to make loud noises or stop working entirely.

When food is heated in a microwave oven, it doesn’t produce the same effects as when water is heated with microwaves alone.

Doing this can also lead to severe burns when hot water splashes onto your body when boiling over from the container.

Be careful with plastic containers and bowls

Microwaves are not good for plastic containers and bowls. This is because microwaves can cause the molecules of these materials to leak into the food, which will then get into your body when you eat the food.

This is especially true for any plastics that have BPA or PVC in them. To be safe, you should only microwave food in glass containers or ceramic dishes.

FAQS

What causes a microwave to break?

A microwave can break down from many different reasons. One common way a microwave can break is from the door being slammed shut or hit by an object. This could damage the hinges and door frame, as well as the door seal on newer models. Another way a microwave can break is if the cord gets damaged which will result in sparks and fire inside your appliance. A third way that microwaves can breakdown is from corrosion of metal parts inside the unit. Corrosion will often show up as a rust-like residue forming on metal components like heating coils, vents, and food trays. Lastly, microwaves may also break from overheating due to user error. If you don’t put anything in your microwave and try to heat it for 5 minutes straight, it’s possible for your appliance to overheat and malfunction.

What are some ways I might be destroying my microwave without realizing it?

Many people don’t realize they’re breaking their microwaves until it’s too late! One way microwaves might fail prematurely is if you cook too much at once or cook something really dense like steel wool or dry noodles because these items take longer than other food items to cook and cool down.. Cooking too much at once or cooking something that takes longer than other foods causes uneven heating which puts extra strain on your oven’s heating mechanism

Conclusion

Microwaves are probably one of the most essential appliances in your kitchen. They make cooking more convenient and allow you to heat up food quickly.

But if you do not take note of the following things, your microwave may break down.

You should avoid using metal cooking utensils, sharp objects to stir food in the plate, and forks or knives to lift food out of a plate.

You should also avoid cooking anything other than food in your oven, be careful with plastic containers and bowls, and do not open the door with a pot holder.

And, if you would like to learn more on How Can a Microwave Break, you can look at this FAQ.