DIYbanter - View Single Post

wrote:

My microwave oven is almost 10 years old. I didn't notice a change in
the way it works, but I am still concerned whether there is a
"radiation leak" after so many years in operation.

As long as it wasn't dropped, smashed, sawed, or drilled and the door
interlock is working properly (that is, oven doesn't run when door open
even slightly), it's safe because the door uses a choke seal, which is
very tolerant of misalignment, gaps, and even dirt. Amana once
demonstrated just how tolerant in a commercial where they hit the door
with a shot put on a pendulum and then chopped into the door opening
with an axe, and the leakage remained below federal limits. It's much
older microwave ovens, made before about 1975, that can become
hazardous with age because many have door seals made of metal braid or
metal fins that can deteriorate badly with use.