If your microwave sparks when you use it, it's best to turn it off until an appliance repair professional can check the appliance out. One thing you might do right away is to make sure there are no metal pieces that could have caused the spark. If so, remove the metal and use the microwave again to see if the spark stops. Otherwise, wait for help from an appliance repair service.
A few things can cause a microwave to spark. After troubleshooting the issue, the repair professional may find the wave guard is the culprit. Here is the purpose of a microwave wave guard, signs that it's bad, and how the wave guard can be replaced.
The Purpose Of A Microwave Wave Guard
The wave guard is a small sheet of mica on the side or top of your microwave oven. The purpose of the guard is to transfer radiation from the magnetron on one side to the cooking area on the other side. The sheet of mica also blocks steam and exploding food bits from entering the inside of the microwave and harming the electronic components.
A Bad Wave Guard Can Cause Sparking
You can see the wave guard when you open the microwave, and if it looks like it's burned or has food splattered on the surface, you should clean it or change the guard before the microwave starts sparking. Once the guard gets too dirty, develops burn marks, or splits, it's important to have the guard changed so steam doesn't get inside the working parts of the microwave. Plus, the microwave may start sparking and become hazardous.
A Bad Wave Guard Can Be Replaced
An appliance repair professional can easily replace a bad wave guard with a new one. You might even do this microwave repair yourself if you feel confident in making DIY repairs. The wave guard is held in place with screws that can be taken out so the guard can be pulled off.
The guards come in different sizes, so you'll need a new one that's made for your microwave. However, your repair person might use a guard made for a larger model and trim it to size. Before the new wave guard is put in place, the area over the opening has to be cleaned. This might be done with an implement or with a microwave cleaner. It's important to get all the food away from the opening so the new guard has a tight fit.
When the repair person is ready to put the new guard in place, they will probably apply silicone around the edges of the opening to seal the new guard. The guard is aligned for a snug fit and tightened with screws. Reach out to a professional for appliance repair if you think your guard is having problems.
