Broken oven door glass is a baker’s nightmare. You cannot bake all those delicious cakes and cupcakes anymore. And what about the roast chicken you had to prepare for dinner?
Even if you don’t bake often, broken oven glass doors are a hazard. Your little ones can accidentally put their hands inside and injure them. The weakened door may also fall down at random times.
So, replacing the glass door is an absolute must. But how much does it cost to replace oven door glass? Can you even afford the expense immediately? Let’s find out!
How Much Does It Cost To Replace Oven Door Glass?
Why Does Oven Door Glass Break?
The most common reason why an oven door glass breaks are physical impact. If you throw a heavy item at the glass door, it will shatter. Sometimes, this happens accidentally, and sometimes, your little mischief-makers do it on purpose.
But what about the times when the oven door glass explodes itself?
The culprit behind this is micro-cracks. These are tiny scratches on the glass surface that develop over time due to continuous stress. Once the glass door has too many micro-cracks, it is unable to tolerate the stress anymore and shatters.
Now, the question is – if you’re careful with your oven glass door, what causes the stress? Well, there are three stress-causing factors:
1. Physical Load
Many of us have a habit of putting dishes on the open glass door. This puts too much pressure on the delicate glass and develops microscopic cracks. Sometimes, the slightest slam against the metal shelves causes the glass to crack too.
2. Scrubbing
Oven glass doors have a lot of grease stains and food spill patches. We usually leave all this grime to be cleaned on some other day. And when that day finally arrives, there is no other way to get the grime out except for vigorous scrubbing.
Most people use a scouring pad to do the job. While it helps make the glass door shiny, it also damages the surface. The rough scourer leaves lots of tiny scratches that later develop into bigger weaknesses (cracks) until the door explodes.
3. Sudden Changes in Temperature
According to John Dalton’s theory, all matter is made of tiny particles that are in constant random motion, i.e, they are moving.
When these particles are heated, they move energetically, and the matter expands. Similarly, when these particles lose heat, they move close together and contract.
So, the glass in the oven door is also constantly expanding and contracting with temperature changes. During this process, it is fragile and weak. If something touches it, a crack may develop.
This is another reason why you shouldn’t put a baking dish on the open oven door!
Can You Use the Oven if the Glass Door is Broken?
You can use the oven if the glass door is slightly cracked or damaged. The cracks won’t affect the internal temperature of the oven. But this is not recommended at all.
We already know that the glass surface expands with an increase in temperature. So, if you use an oven with a cracked glass door, the heat inside will cause the cracks to enlarge. The glass door may even explode and send the glass shards flying everywhere.
This is a huge hazard and can lead to serious injuries. Alternatively, if you’re using a gas oven, the damaged glass door may cause gas leaks. Too much gas inside the house means gas poisoning and potential fires.
The Cost of Replacing Oven Door Glass
Up till now, we know that it is inevitable to replace a broken oven door glass. If the glass is cracked or damaged in any way, you will have to replace it. But can you afford this additional expense?
The average cost of replacing an oven door glass ranges from $150 to $300. This is a lot of money for a repair, but it is definitely cheaper than buying a new oven. Most mid-range ovens cost between $1200 to $2500.
If you choose a high-end brand or large-capacity oven, expect the price to shoot up to a range of $4000 to $5000!
Factors that Affect the Oven Door Glass Cost
We’ve mentioned the average range of replacing oven door glass, but it’s not fixed. It may increase or decrease depending on the factors discussed below.
1. Glass Quality
Tempered glass is typically used in all oven types. It’s a specially treated material that is 5 times stronger than regular glass. The strength helps it resist the extremely high temperatures of the oven.
But, even in tempered glass, there are different variants. Some tempered glasses are stronger than others because of their high-quality manufacturing process. Meanwhile, some are prone to explosion and breakage.
It’s why you should always choose tempered glass from a reputable brand (if that’s within your scope of decision). If you can’t select the glass manufacturer, there’s another way to ensure premium tempered glass quality that we will discuss later.
One thing to note is that the better the tempered glass quality is, the more it will cost!
2. Size of Glass Door
The size of your oven’s glass door will have a huge impact on the cost. A small glass door for regular home-use ovens will cost less than the ones used in huge commercial ovens. And since the glass door should exactly fit your oven size, it’s important to know how to measure it.
- Make sure the oven is closed and cooled off. If the glass has shattered recently, clean up the area thoroughly. You can use a dustpan or vacuum to ensure no glass fragments remain.
- Open the whole door so it lays flat.
- Use a measuring tape to note the height, length, and width of the inner door panel.
- Then, close the oven door and measure the same dimensions of the outer door glass.
If you don’t think you can measure the oven door correctly and find the right size in the market, ask an expert to do so. Usually, this service is included in the professional replacement job.
3. Brand
Similar to other items, the brand of the oven glass door will also affect its price. The unknown, newbie manufacturer will charge outstandingly low. Meanwhile, major appliance brands will charge you very high.
Both cases aren’t okay. We recommend you choose mid-range manufacturers. They don’t charge a lot for their name and reputation but ensure a good quality product too.
If you’re doubtful about a brand, go to its social media handles and official website. See what people are saying about their products. Customer reviews are usually the rawest, most genuine, and unbiased insight into product quality.
4. Installation Charges
The service you choose for the oven door glass replacement will charge you an amount for their work. This will determine whether the total cost of repair is high, low, or affordable for you.
Most professionals will charge you at least $100 for complete repairs. You may have to pay more depending on how big and technical the repair is. Alternatively, you can DIY the oven glass door replacement to save money.
FAQS
1. Can you replace just the oven door?
Yes, you can replace just the oven door. The appliance is made up of several parts, and each one is changeable. You can also choose to replace the complete oven, but that will be very expensive.
2. Do you need special glass for the oven door?
Yes, the type of glass used in oven doors is tempered. The regular glass is baked in the oven at 620 degrees Celsius, and then it is cooled using a high-pressure procedure. This strengthens the glass and makes it capable of withstanding the extreme temperatures of the oven.
3. How much is a panel of glass?
A simple replacement glass panel costs $5 per square foot. But tempered glass panels cost up to $25 per square foot. If you’re planning to DIY the oven glass door replacement, make sure to select the best quality glass.
It will be expensive, but it will also last a long time. We’ve already discussed in detail how the glass quality differs between different manufacturers. Refer to the Factors Affecting the Oven Glass Door cost heading to get a better idea.
4. Is it hard to install an oven door glass?
The answer to this can be both yes and no depending on how skilled you are in the field. If you’ve done similar repairs before, you would know that installing an oven glass door isn’t much difficult. Here’s a useful video to help you get a better idea!
Last Words
All in all, it costs around $150 to $300 to replace oven door glass. This is a general range and may fluctuate based on the glass type, door size, brand, and installation service you’ve chosen.
If you’re worried about the replacement door breaking again, invest in an oven that has a metallic body with a small glass window to peek inside. The small window is less likely to shatter than a huge glass door.
And if you couple the oven with good care and handling, the glass will stay safe for a very long time!