While many people often think that only gas stoves explode, electric stoves aren’t completely safe from fires and explosions either. With more and more people opting for electric stoves for safety reasons, some often wonder; Can electric stoves explode?
Today, we’ll answer that question, share a few tips to prevent an explosion, and tell you how you can detect an electric stove fire before it happens.
Here are a few reasons an electric stove can explode:
Damaged Coils or Improper positioning
Electric stoves can catch fire and explode if the coil range element on your stove becomes loose, cracked or damaged in anyway. and deviates from its original position.
These should be replaced as soon as possible because they can lead to sparking and electrical fires.
Damaged Power Cord
The power cord can also overheat if you leave a stove plugged in for too long or if there are worn areas in the insulation where wires can short out.
If this happens, unplug the appliance immediately because leaving it plugged in can lead to overheating which can result in fire hazards.
Inserting flammable materials inside the Oven Cavity
Using flammable materials like soft plastic plates and cups which can overheat and melt could also lead to explosions. It’s advisable that you only insert oven-safe cookware in your oven.
Overheating coils
Exposing heating element coils for long periods of time without operation can also lead to explosions.
Power Surge
A sudden power surge can cause all sorts of problems with electric appliances and a stove is no different.
Power surges happen when the electrical wiring and circuits in your home or office get a sudden, brief boost of high-voltage electricity resulting in burnt-up appliances, damaged wiring, and electrical fires.
How to avoid electric stove explosions:
- Turn down oven heat if food isn’t cooked thoroughly after 20 minutes as this can lead to overheating and eventually electrical fires.
- Always clean up spills immediately before they have time to cool and harden (they can become electrically charged when dry).
- Make sure you always have at least one hand on the handle when lifting a pot or pan off an electric stove.
- Turn off all cooking appliances before leaving your home or going to sleep to avoid any electrical fires from unattended stoves.
- Keep surfaces clean and free from grease build-up that can catch fire more easily when exposed to high heat levels on cooking units such as an oven, range top, cooktop, broiler unit, or microwave appliance.
- If you are treating a stain with spray cleaner containing solvents for example: always allow cleaners to dry completely before exposing them to any source of ignition including residual hot elements found inside
- Always check the food in microwaves periodically with sensor probes for signs of melting plastic
- Don’t use an electric stove on high heat settings on unattended cooking food.
- Be careful with kitchen towels and other items that can easily catch fire near the stovetop.
- Be sure to research about a stove’s energy and safety reviews before buying one.
Keep the following in mind when buying a new stove:
You can find an electric stove that is more energy-efficient and safe if you do your research beforehand.
Compare different types of stoves according to their efficiency rating: a higher number means it will cost less money in electricity bills over time and use less power as well as generate fewer emissions into the atmosphere.
It can be tempting to purchase an inexpensive model because they seem like such great deals at first glance when compared with high-end models, but don’t forget what can happen should there be any kind of fault or malfunction with cheaper products – sometimes they can cause fires due to cheap wiring and plastic components catching fire from overheating.
How can you tell if your electric stove is malfunctioning?
Here are a few tips to help:
- Look for signs of sparks and smoke coming from the oven cavity area (a commonplace where electronic circuit boards reside).
- Check for a burning smell, feel for heat or listen for unusual sounds.
- If your electric stove consumes more electricity than it should or is heating up too much, this may indicate that there is a problem with it.
If any of these can be detected, turn the breaker OFF at the main panel box and call the service technician to investigate further.
Tip: Remember to unplug the stove before inspecting it.
How often do electric stoves explode?
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)’s July 2020 home cooking fires report shows that cooking was the top reason for home fires and home fire injuries and the second main cause of home fire deaths.
The report further states that cooking led to an average of 172,900 reported home structure fires
per year.
While the report doesn’t specificy what percentage of these fires were caused by Electric or gas cooking ranges, it worryingly notes that “Households that used electric ranges showed a higher risk of cooking fires and associated losses than those using gas ranges.”
Electric stove Safety Features:
With the advancement of technology, manufacturers are adding more and more safety features to ensure that stoves are completely safe to use and comply with international safety standards
It’s because of these features that an electric stove explosion is extremely rare.
The following safety features are added to the most modern electric stove:
Safety Shut-Off Device:
A shut-off device cuts the power supply to your stove coils when left unattended for a long period of time. This is done to avoid overheating and potential fires that are caused by unattended appliances.
Many stoves come installed with this feature though the device can also be purchased and installed separately from third parties.
Here is how an automatic shut off device works:
Button Locks:
The button lock function on an electric stove restricts the functionality of the buttons on the stoves. This helps prevent small children, such as toddlers, from accidentally turning the stove on and burning themselves or causing fires.
Door Locking Mechanisms:
These mechanisms limit toddler or child access from opening doors on electric stoves which in this case is the oven door. This ensures that the children do not get access to the hot oven area and injure themselves or insert flammable items into it.
How long does it take an electric stove to catch fire?
Well, it depends on the cause of the fire.
If the electric stove was left on and unattended, it can take a while to overheat and ignite but if there is an electrical malfunction from something like faulty wiring or an overloaded circuit breaker, then yes — it can catch fire within seconds.
The same can happen with any appliance that plugs into wall outlets such as microwaves or refrigerators because they share power sources and are more likely to create sparks during use.
The kitchen can be one of the most dangerous rooms in your home when it comes to fires – so make sure you keep safety in mind while cooking!
What to do when your electric stove catches fire.
- If your electric oven catches fire, turn off the power right away – even if that means turning it off at the main breaker/ switch so that there’s no chance of anyone else being hurt by an electrical shock.
- If it’s a small fire, use a fire extinguisher to put it out, if it’s big, however, leave the area immediately and call in emergency services.
- Remember: never try and extinguish a grease fire in a pan on top of the hob with water. This is not only ineffective but it can make matters worse if liquid spills over into any electrical cords or cables.
- Call in professionals to inspect and change out any burnt appliances, bulbs, and fuses immediately afterward so that no other appliances can be damaged by heat or power surges.
- Never replace or inspect them yourself unless you are qualified – and make sure they’re high-quality replacements too – low voltage bulbs can lead to fires because their wattage isn’t enough to sustain heating elements like those used in ovens.
CONCLUSION
While electric stove fires are quite rare, it’s imperative that electric stove owners are well informed about what causes electric stoves to explode, how to prevent these kinds of explosions, and what to do when they occur.
Protecting life is the most important thing, so always call in professional help when you suspect something isn’t working right.