3 Common Practices That Can Ruin The Lifespan Of Your Microwave
Warming up last night's leftovers, nuking a bag of popcorn, melting butter for a recipe–your microwave could easily be considered one of the most useful appliances in the kitchen. A good microwave should give you a lot of years of use, so it is always well worth the investment to buy a good one. However, spending more on a microwave because it is a quality model does not necessarily mean it will last as long as you expect, especially if you're not careful. Take a look at some of the things you may do with your microwave that could leave you in need of microwave repair from a professional.
Running the microwave with nothing in it.
This may sound like something that really would make no difference–kind of like running your oven with nothing in i, right? Unfortunately, if you allow your microwave to run when it's empty, you could actually damage the appliance. The electronic radio waves that are produced during running should be absorbed by the food that is inside, if there's nothing there, it can actually cause some big problems. The interior of the microwave can get too hot, which can damage the inner walls of the unit and cause problems with the motor.
Running the microwave too long on accident.
You put a Hot Pocket in the microwave and accidentally add one too many zeros when you set the timer. So instead of a few minutes, you end up cooking the thing for way too long. Not only will this leave you with food that is burnt to a crisp, it is also extremely hard on the microwave itself. The moisture inside of the microwave that comes from the food while its cooking helps prevent overheating. If you nuke something until it is completely dehydrated, it's almost like running the machine with nothing in it at all.
Running the microwave with a metal object inside.
Whether you put some form of foil material in the microwave on accident or accidentally leave a fork or spoon in your plate of leftovers, this is a really major mistake on your part. Metal objects inside the microwave when it is running will cause sparks to fly as the radio waves overheat the metal. Technically, this can even cause the interior of your microwave to catch on fire, but most people just end up with a damaged interior casing that has to be repaired or replaced.
Contact an appliance service, like Capital City Appliance, for more help.