Cracked Glass Top Stove

Knowing the cause of your cracked glass top can help you avoid any further damage in the future. 

If you’re not sure why your glass has cracked, read on to learn about some potential causes.

Thermal Shock

Thermal shock occurs when a surface such as glass experiences a sudden increase or drop in temperature. 

When you place hot cookware on a cold glass top, the heated glass expands while the cooler glass parts contract. This sudden contrast can create cracks. Cold items placed on a hot glass top can also cause uneven contraction and subsequent cracks.

Mechanical Stress

Mechanical stress happens when a surface is manipulated based on the amount of stress applied. In the case of a glass top stove, mechanical stress could be considered any of the following:

• Brute force impact
• Heavier weight on one side of the glass than the other
• Aggressive pushing or pulling on one side of the glass

Any of the above could result in cracked glass and should be avoided.

Normal Wear and Tear

Over time, your glass top may develop nicks or scratches from normal wear and tear. Although this damage would be considered routine, it weakens the glass and makes it more susceptible to cracks.

Poor Insulation

Your glass top could be poorly insulated. When this happens, heat cannot spread evenly throughout the surface. The uneven heating can cause cracks to form in the glass.

Manufacturing Defect

If your glass top stove originally came with small chips or other imperfections, the glass was already weak and prone to breakage from day one. It would then take less effort to crack the glass.

Impact

While this possibility may seem the most obvious of them all, you would be surprised by how heat changes your glass’s ability to break. If you were to drop something heavy on your glass surface when it’s hot, you could more easily crack it from the impact.