[cvhayes]

I recently moved into a senior apartment complex & have had issues with my oven being hotter than it should be. Baked goods are over-cooking, quickly & I've burnt more items than I care to count. The other day, a towel that I had on the oven door handle caught fire. I believe the "vents" at the top of the door was what started it. The towel was Not in the oven! Now, I am being told that I am responsible for the damage to the stove & the floor. I don't believe that I am. I think the faulty oven is at fault. Could a towel catch fire just by hanging on the handle?? I've hung a towel there for Years & this is the first time I've had one catch fire.
Any advice will be terribly appreciated ~ Thank you!!

[ApplianceJunk]

Hi,

Could a towel catch fire just by hanging on the handle?

If the oven is working correctly and the towel is just a regular clean hand towel I would not think so.

[ramblinche81]

Auto Ignition temp for a dry cotton towel is over 240degrees.

A cotton towel with vegetable oil or sugar (common while cooking ?) is well below 200degrees.

While it might be hard to admit....the chance the towel was stuck in the door is more likely than the door leaking heat over 240degrees.

You can always invite the maintenance main over for lunch and let him have a look with the oven on. If it leaked heat before, it will leak again.

Is it a single or double oven ?