Is it normal for a microwave to get hot on the outside

Can microwaves cause cancer? Microwaves heat food. They do not make any changes to food that aren't made in any other cooking method. So they do not make food any more likely to cause cancer. If you follow the instructions for use for a microwave oven there is no known harmful effect on humans. Why does my microwave cut out? If the microwave runs for a few seconds and then shuts off, the door switch might be defective or loose.

Sometimes arching or overheating of door switches stops microwave from running efficiently. Some microwaves have a seal or gasket around the door.

If the seal or gasket is broken, microwave shuts down. How long can you run a microwave empty? Typically you can even run a microwave for minutes, sometimes longer while empty no load and it will be fine. This is what happens when you run it without a load.

At first, everything is fine because the cavity, the door, the tray or shelf absorb the excess energy. Is microwave radiation harmful? Microwave Ovens and Health Microwave radiation can heat body tissue the same way it heats food. Exposure to high levels of microwaves can cause a painful burn. But these types of injuries — burns and cataracts — can only be caused by exposure to large amounts of microwave radiation. It could also indicate that the microwave is not getting enough air ventilation that it needs to be of average temperature.

Other possible interpretations include that the ventilation fan is not working at all or is malfunctioning. Also, there are high chances that the microwave is placed too close to a wall that it is actually blocking the ventilation or airflow for the microwave to cool down.

Keeping the outside surface of the microwave cold as a cube of ice is impossible; the outside will always be a little bit warm but hot. However, if you are facing an issue where your microwave is real hot from the outside while in use, you can check and make sure all the below points are checked to prevent the outside from getting hot. You can avoid using your microwave for a prolonged time and can keep it away from walls or other appliances so it can get proper air ventilation. When the plug is in but the microwave is off , the oven is in standby - only the digital clock is drawing power, i.

It is normal to feel a warm outer case on the control panel side. The heat is normal and comes from the power transformer. Further, cooking foods in a microwave oven for an extended period of time can cause a heat transfer not only to the internal oven walls and floor, but to the external cabinet as well.

A microwave oven cooks food by producing energy waves that excite water molecules and warm the food from the inside out. However, a microwave can still overheat unless it has special safety features to prevent it, typically in the form of an automatic shut - off.

As others have mentioned, microwaves themselves don't explode , they heat things. If that water gets hot enough to become steam, you get an explosion because the steam produces high pressure on the inside of the food and there's no balancing force to keep the food together. It is possible for a microwave to overheat. The microwaves heat food by targeting water molecules, if there is no moisture in the food to heat, this can cause overheating.

Without the fan to regulate the temperature, the microwave will overheat quickly and shutdown. Microwave door switches are normally mounted to a bracket near the door latch. Also, microwaves usually have three or four door switches. There is a latch sometimes referred to as a hook attached to the inside of your microwave door that comes in contact with and activates the door switch when the door is closed.

How to Clean Grease Off of Microwave Vents Wipe away any surface grease and dirt from the vents with a dry, clean cloth. Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar. Dampen a clean cloth with warm water. Wipe away surface grease and dirt from the vents. Rinse away any vinegar residue from the microwave with a clean cloth dampened with warm water. You can either replace the unit or swap out the magnetron for a new one.

The other cause of overheating is a faulty fan. You should be familiar with the noise a microwave makes when it is running. That all too familiar hum is the fan working to ventilate the hot air inside. If your microwave manages to overheat, there are a few things you can do. The first is to check for any signs of damage like the ones mentioned above.

Should the microwave show none of the symptoms, your microwave should be able to function correctly. It might have shut down from running too long. As some users suggest , first start by unplugging the microwave. Then, leave the door open for 15 to 20 minutes. Once 15 to 20 minutes are up, plug the cord back in. We hope you found the information above insightful! Before you go, do you have other microwaves concerns? Are you wondering how often you should replace it?

You can find out more by checking out our post here. Are you curious as to what you can put inside a microwave?

Are you itching to let a spoon inside? It can have some consequences. For more information, check out our post here. Until next time! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Skip to content We may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Comment.