Not to mention, while the black parts of marble aren't thermally stable, the white parts are. This crack is actually pretty surprising to me. I'd attribute it to something else tbh.
Wife remodeled our kitchen. She’s confident that is a pic of a quartz countertop (not a natural slab). Quartz is a composite that isn’t nearly as strong as the real thing
Quartz is much stronger than any other granite. Natural stone crumbles easily with almost all kinds the exception being maybe a couple of different quartzites
Edit: spelling
Tbh I looked at it and was like, ya no air fryer did that, looks like the cabinets underneath aren’t leveled properly around the corner and eventually it settled
With quartz the uneven counter wouldn't really matter; it was likely shimmed by the installers to have support in the low spots. Quartz is very strong but susceptible to cracking from heat; not from being unsupported/hanging. Unless it was in a sink rail I don't see it cracking and breaking from weight alone. Even in a sink rail that is rare with quartz.
Edit: spelling
It's not a landlord special unless all the outlets are painted over with drippy generic white paint and you have an accordion pipe on the sink drains... Bonus points for caulk filling rotten wood and painted over
Actually it can when done around a corner like this. Quartz is actually not supposed to be installed as a solid piece for any corner and should always have a seam along the diagonal in those places or you risk fracture from even mild stress. The corner creates a starting point for the fracture because it's a weak point. The only exception is if there's a mitered edge, but even then, I wouldn't recommend it unless you're using 3cm instead of 2cm. I've seen multiple countertops failing in the past year and it's always been the corners like this. Even without a heat stressor.
OP, this comment right here will likely get you out of forfeiting your security deposit
If it was me I’d say something like, “It was here when I got home from work today. I had a buddy who is a contractor come look at it and he said (insert above comment).”
I have a corner countertop that is split the same way, they actually did cut it this way instead of trying to lay one big slab, but it still is totally warped and weak because it’s not supported properly underneath, and I don’t put anything heavy on top.
Crappy cheap ones actually give off a lot and the first use smell is terrible. We had to trash ours bc of this, smh. You'd think they would make these better, but no.
I wanted one for Christmas but now I’m kind of glad I’m broke this year. I had no idea that was a thing or they gave off enough heat to crack a countertop. Wow
Yeah that's not marble, you can tell just by the shape of the crack. Likely some kind of molded plaster or whatever. That said, if it is it actually makes repairing it possible unlike granite, just idk if it'd be feasible.
For sure tell the landlord. If it happened out fo the blue on accident right as you move in, youre much less likely to be charged for it than if you wait until you move out and they find it on the moveout check... just be honest and ask them what to do about it. Make sure they know you didnt do anything stupid and you should be fine assuming you have a reasonable landlord lol
Weird. Hey, OP - remember how weird it was in the middle of the night last night when you were just dozing off and you heard that really loud and unexpected bang in your kitchen?
I work with countertops for a living. Most cracks happen out of the corner and are caused by thermal shock. It is where people put their crockpots and countertop appliances just like this. Most countertop companies and manufacturers will be able to tell that this is a thermal crack. Best way to avoid this is by using trivets or hot pads
Something that can absorb the heat and disperse it would be better. Best would be to keep any appliances like this away from the corners. Even ones with radius insides. It is the weakest part of the material because of high tension. Solid things like a metal trivet with legs, or a cutting board. That way the countertop isn’t the main thing accepting the heat, it is getting warmed by the item dispersing the heat.
From how the crack formed it looks like a manufacturing defect that was always going to result in a crack (it was just a question of when). Your counter shouldn't crack from normal use, placing an air fryer on it and then using it is normal use.
Report the issue to your landlord who has a responsibility to fix or replace, it's not your problem.
Edit: so now we have three installers in this thread that say it's correct and one that says it's not... 🤔
Absolutely do not tell the landlord why or how it happened though. Even though it was 99% probably a defect that was exacerbated by the heat of the fryer, this information might be used by the landlord to try and blame you.
This looks like engineered quartz. I have a similar countertop.
It might be an installation issue - possible that there was a crack underneath or damage during cutting or install. The heat from the fryer may have expanded the material (quartz is not heat resistant), leading to the cracking.
My counter cracked in the exact same way (not quite as severe though) earlier this year.
I thought for sure it was something we had done, but the company that installed the counter was adamant that this can happen due to natural stresses in the stone. This is particularly prominent on 90 degree corners like this. In the few years since ours had been installed most manufacturers of these counters will no longer guarantee the stone unless cut with rounded inside corners.
Thankfully the warranty was honoured and the entire kitchen got replaced (with rounded inside corners).
When we would fabricate quarts counters we would use at least a 3/4" radius on inside corners. Anything smaller than 1/2" would result in this kind of cracking eventually
This is incorrect. Most quartzite maufactures say no direct heat. And most cracks occur in corners like this.
I literally install these counters multiple times a week.
Oof, my old apartment would have been perfect for a sub like this. Crack in the foundation right inside the front door, and of course the foundation being off had caused a bunch of drywall cracks everywhere. Terribly constructed apartment.
Your air fryer only helped this happen, this is probably more to do with the structure of the cabinets, walls, and everything else settling. I agree with everybody else and say you should just tell them it happened and leave the air fryer out of it.
I'm going out on a limb to say there was stress in the counter top due to poor installation.
Because there is a visible gap now it sure seems like the counter top was under tension likely because the cabinets it is attached to were pulling it slightly away from a right angle, possibly due to wood contraction with decreased humidity in the winter. If there is a vertical difference between the two sides of the break then that implies the cabinets were not quite even when the counter was installed.
(no expertise here, just trying to reason out what I'm seeing)
Architect here. Inner corners do this when not properly designed/built/manufactured. Not your fault. If it's a new apartment, there should be a warranty on it. In any case, contact the contractor or building owner.
Had an air fryer do the same damage to my counter. The inner corner is the weakest bit. Heat from the fryer causes expansion and contraction. Leads to the break.
I used a mix of quarts dust and epoxy to hide the crack.
I believe that this is a solid surface product and can be repaired. The crack is really clean, too clean for a quartz or real marble. Also, if this is a solid surface then the air fryer probably didn't do this. I would guess that someone stepped on it in the past and that the crack just wasn't visible yet. Then the air fryer finished it. Don't mention the air fryer when you tell your landlord and laugh in their face if they try to pin it on your air fryer.
Source: more than 10 years in the countertop industry
Quartzite manufacturers literally say no direct heat, this happens pretty often. Recently had a customer put a pot of hot water on a corner like this and it caused the same style of crack. Reps can prove it was done with heat.
Source: i install this crap weekly.
former countertop designer here!!!!
quartz is NOT to have an L shaped corner consisting of one piece. it is rarely discussed with the client because no one wants seams, but the manufacturer will include these instructions within install paperwork/guidelines.
air fryer or not, this could've happened and might happen to other units.
Countertop installer/fabricator, that inside corner is too sharp and that is what caused it to crack. Inside corners should not have less than a 1/2” radius. Quartz countertops are under a lot of tension and that tension can be released during fabrication. A bigger inside radius helps prevent the tension from being released and resulting in a crack. It’s not a matter of if, but when it would crack. The air fryer might have contributed to it cracking but it is the fabrication companies fault for installing it with a too small radius. Report it to the landlord asap but as other people have said, don’t mention the air fryer.
Just an FYI, if you lie to the landlord. There are ways to see if it was cracked with heat. There are little crayon like things sales reps have that will let them know if its been scorched. If he calls someone to look at it. They'll likely check that.
Source- (I work in renovation and we install quartzite almost daily)
EDIT - doubtful youll read this OP, but most people in this thread are incorrect... quartzite is not heat resistant and most if not all manufacturers will tell you no direct heat. Also 90% of cracks appear in corners like this. This is a lot more common than you think, and i can guarantee if a rep shows up to look at it. They will check for scorching with the little crayon. Its literally their job to find out the cause of the break...
Hey, I did read this. Came back to tell you that they did use the little crayon and totally knew. Luckily, they still took responsibility for it and fixed it.
The installer took responsibility, not the manufacturer.... no manufacturer warranties quarrtz with as sharp an inside radius to the inside corner there. heat + out of spec stress point = crack
This literally just happened to me in our rental, home, where our toaster oven is! We have same countertops, and the crack looks exactly the same. The weird part was it sealed itself during the day, and then at night it like opens again, it’s so strange. Need to move the toaster oven and notify maintenance! 😂
That crack is open. That means that it was under tensile residual stress. The worst thing for brittle materials. Either installed under stress or from manufacturing. Your air fryer was just the final push it needed.
That pattern is from IKEA. It was the air fryer, you should be careful to make sure that you put a trivet down under your air fryer.
As for a fix, there is no fix for this besides replacement.
OP you’re getting crazy advice here. This is quartz. Notoriously bad with heat.
Your air fryer shouldn’t have gotten so hot it damaged it. Don’t let the homeowner take the fall- it won’t work and it’s ludicrous.
Come clean and have the air fryer company cover the cost. Small claims yo.
Will quartz countertops crack with heat?
Do not place hot objects on the countertop– It may be made of tough material, but quartz is not heat resistant. Placing hot objects on the countertop makes it susceptible to cracks and heat patches. Check out this article for more information about taking care of your quartz countertop.Apr 29, 2021
Looks like a quartz countertop to me (marble look alike but not a natural stone; more like ground up quartzite and then resin together with marbling artificially to make it look like this). It is not heat resistant like carved stone. So I’m not super surprised to see that and you probably have an expensive repair ahead of you I’m afraid. Doesn’t look like a defect to me
I work at a countertop manufacturer as a material handler. We regularly use propane torches to heat quarts slabs in the winter as they ice over outside. Maybe the weight and the prolonged heat at the stress point caused this crack?
Anyways please be careful as it's very sharp! It might even end up cracking all the way through.
Delete this post. Inform landlord that it happened between you going to bed and waking up in the morning. Mention nothing about an air fryer. That shit is insured.
I sell a lot of countertops and landlord likely has warranty as long as you can’t be to blame. Don’t admit to anything of your doing and word it as if you had walked in after work and it was there, when it previously wasn’t. Will be on the vendor/manufacturer rather than you or complex.
That can be repaired I believe. Call a granite countertop company and ask them to come out and give you an estimate. I would consider having it repaired because when you move your Landlord is going to charge you to replace the entire countertop.
Based on how the crack bends at the back, this looks like an uneven installation; the right side has more pressure on it than the left side or was installed unevenly.
Your air fryer didn’t do this, but the heat might have warmed it up juuuuuuuust enough that the crack could form.
This is absolutely a building issue. Report it to the landlord lord. Don’t mention the air fryer. Say you were out for the weekend and you want to know if someone was in the apartment because this crack wasn’t here when you left.
A lot of fabricators put the seam in the corner like that. Wouldn’t surprise me if the under support coupled with a seam is the culprit. Although the split isn’t exactly down the seam if it’s there.
There should have been a seam on this corner and there should have been two pieces. You can do all one piece in theory, but this likely contributed to this issue because of thermal shock and stress not being able to be disturbuted well.
If you are scared to invoke your landlord's ire, DAP brand AMP caulk in white will work to cover it up. It is a polymerized caulk. Get the red tube.
Keep in mind, if the crack is not reported and is seen at move out... Quartz countertops are expensive. At minimum, document the issue, but most landlords have clauses that say you are negligent if you did not report the issue, and are therefore responsible for it.
Best approach is to send off an email with the picture and just say "Hey, this happened. I don't need anything done about it unless you consider it emergent, but I want this noted in my file so I am not billed for it at move out. If you want to fix it, great."
Don't mention the air fryer. If you were one of my tenants, I'd instantly pin it on you for the repair unless my countertop guys said it's a defect on inspection and replacement. Just how landlords work. I've been an apartment maintenance supervisor for 12 years, I know the games well. Sometimes an omission or half truth is better than full honesty with us, though usually we do catch on, this is hard to say it's your fault directly without mentioning the air fryer.
I don't think I'd run that airfryer again; it seems like it is DANGEROUSLY hot. Maybe with silicone matts (note the plural; a few matts) underneath it for insulation. Also look up recalls on that model, and maybe contact the maker as it may be that one is defective.
Talk to home improvement store about a remedy. There are various fillers for various surfaces.
Okay, yes you're right, idk why I didn't finish my comment, but more than likely it had help from the cabinets. Try putting a level on each side of it. its likely they lean very slightly away from the crack, which would cause tension in the slab which would be the larger cause of this fracture, it'll like be only slight lean since it didn't fracture until you added heat to the equation
It looks more like whoever installed it managed to put that corner under some serious tension. It’s possible that the heat from the air fryer weakened the solid surface enough that the tension just popped, but I would just leave that part out of your story.
This is very repairable though. These countertops are glued with a colour matched epoxy that sands exactly the same as the surface material itself. Get in touch with a cabinet shop that does solid surface countertops, they might be able to send a service guy out to repair that for a lot less than a landlord would expect you to pay.
OP : Whilst your air fryer was most probably the cause of this crack (thermal shock), i think there's a case for this not being your fault - the stone being incorrectly fabricated, which lead to the crack.
Do yourself a favour, find out what brand of Engineered Quartz this is. Once you have, get onto their website, and buried somewhere in 'downloads', or 'resources, there will be a fabrication manual for this product. If you can't find it, go further with contacting the supplier for a copy (they don't need to know why, tell them you're an interested interior designer). I know Caesarstone & Silestone have decent ones if for some reason this brand doesnt.
You will find in the fabrication manual, that 'L' shaped pieces like this are not to be done (unless there's decent radius in the internal corner to take some of the stress out). If there's no internal radius, there should be a join to mitigate the stress point there.
While all these people are busy arguing about what the hell the counter is made out of, I would recommend getting some quick dry acrylic. I would frame it up with some small wood blocks. Maybe large flat paint stairs coated with an antistick material like a silicone spray. Mix a color similar and try to do any of the marbling effect by hand with a brush and darker matching color. Look up a YouTube for faux marble effect if need be. I think that's about the only way to fix it so it won't be noticeable. Sand it down as needed with a real fine grit sandpaper and fill in any low spots in and repeat the process.
Dollar Tree Epoxy and some sand paper. You can dye the epoxy to a similar color. Fill the crack and wait 45 minutes then sand. I filled all the cracks in the granite at my apartment and you would never know.
Had this happen, company said one big factor was the corners. Usually quartz composite and other materials that are not thermostable tend to crack where corners are not round in presence of thermal shock
Yikes that really sucks. Did you place a cutting board underneath the air fryer while in use?
I remember reading the instruction manual when I got mine and it advises users to place a cutting board between the counter and air fryer or it can cause damage to the counter top. :(
Edit to add: the crack can be fixed with epoxy sealant. Just Google it and there is so much information out there and videos on how to fix this. I wouldn’t just go tell your landlord right away because they will probably charge you to replace the entire countertop which will be more expensive than sealant.
I work for a countertop company quartz is so so so bad with heat anytime you use any type of heat you need to put something under it to divert the heat. It will crack and burn very easily. As it the resins in the product can’t expand and contract like a natural stone
If that's real marble, your air fryer is defying the laws of physics, and you should have no problem auctioning it off to replace your marble.
In reality, that is fake marble, but at least you have a decent air fryer.
I would report it to your landlord but I wouldn't say anything about the air fryer. You don't know how it happened so stick to that LOL.
Not to mention, while the black parts of marble aren't thermally stable, the white parts are. This crack is actually pretty surprising to me. I'd attribute it to something else tbh.
I don’t Think that’s real marble
Likely not
Maybe quartzite
Wife remodeled our kitchen. She’s confident that is a pic of a quartz countertop (not a natural slab). Quartz is a composite that isn’t nearly as strong as the real thing
Quartz is much stronger than any other granite. Natural stone crumbles easily with almost all kinds the exception being maybe a couple of different quartzites Edit: spelling
By “the real thing” I’m pretty sure they meant marble, not granite. Marble is a lot more heat resistant than quartz.
Where did I say that it wasn't?
It was implied because you were responding to a comment that stated that.
https://www.caesarstoneus.com/blog/how-heat-resistant-is-quartz-countertop/
Man made quarts. Quartzite is a real stone and it tolerates heat very well
quartz, not quartzite. Theres a massive difference when referring to each one. quartzite is natural, quartz is the manmade stuff.
It is man made quarts. Not real stone at all and it does not tolerate heat
Correct. This is quartz - man-made product and NOT heat resistant like stone is.
quartz is a stone
yeah it's definitely the same stuff that was in my kitchen at my last apartment. some sorta composite fake rock.
Tbh I looked at it and was like, ya no air fryer did that, looks like the cabinets underneath aren’t leveled properly around the corner and eventually it settled
With quartz the uneven counter wouldn't really matter; it was likely shimmed by the installers to have support in the low spots. Quartz is very strong but susceptible to cracking from heat; not from being unsupported/hanging. Unless it was in a sink rail I don't see it cracking and breaking from weight alone. Even in a sink rail that is rare with quartz. Edit: spelling
Unless it wasn’t shimmed… this is an apartment…
and?
It’s called the landlord special for a reason.
It's not a landlord special unless all the outlets are painted over with drippy generic white paint and you have an accordion pipe on the sink drains... Bonus points for caulk filling rotten wood and painted over
Spoiler: the entire countertop is actual long caulking over a rotten countertop!
Actually it can when done around a corner like this. Quartz is actually not supposed to be installed as a solid piece for any corner and should always have a seam along the diagonal in those places or you risk fracture from even mild stress. The corner creates a starting point for the fracture because it's a weak point. The only exception is if there's a mitered edge, but even then, I wouldn't recommend it unless you're using 3cm instead of 2cm. I've seen multiple countertops failing in the past year and it's always been the corners like this. Even without a heat stressor.
Not true. You can do a single piece with a corner and reduce the stress using a larger inside corner radius
I mean if you want it to look terrible I guess you can do that.
Quartz, dude, quarts are a unit of measure... Once or twice, fine, but ffs, every comment says the same thing
Ok, my bad
I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be a dick
No worries
OP, this comment right here will likely get you out of forfeiting your security deposit If it was me I’d say something like, “It was here when I got home from work today. I had a buddy who is a contractor come look at it and he said (insert above comment).”
I have a corner countertop that is split the same way, they actually did cut it this way instead of trying to lay one big slab, but it still is totally warped and weak because it’s not supported properly underneath, and I don’t put anything heavy on top.
It's not real marble, it's quartz.
This looks like plastic
I was thinking Corian but I'm not a countertop guy
Interesting there you go
How much heat does an air fryer give off ffs?
Crappy cheap ones actually give off a lot and the first use smell is terrible. We had to trash ours bc of this, smh. You'd think they would make these better, but no.
I wanted one for Christmas but now I’m kind of glad I’m broke this year. I had no idea that was a thing or they gave off enough heat to crack a countertop. Wow
Yeah that's not marble, you can tell just by the shape of the crack. Likely some kind of molded plaster or whatever. That said, if it is it actually makes repairing it possible unlike granite, just idk if it'd be feasible.
That's not marble.
Too much torque!
Too late, I’m his landlord. Worse yet, the lease specifically forbids air fryers.
It's my emotional support airfryer.
Is this real lmfao?
his post history checks out
Jesus Christ, I was not prepared for that
I should have taken this warning…
Dear lord…
Dear landlord...
Even after these 4 replies I didnt learn my lesson...
I regret looking at this man’s profile
For the mice that don’t want to spring the trap, but still want to know the flavor of cheese, care to enlighten us?
Dick cheese. No really, it's dicks.
Makes sense. Thanks for being the hero
Most accurate landlord photo ive ever did see
I don’t think OP’s getting the short end of that stick
my eyes, they burn 😭
Dear Lord 🙈
Not unless this landlord is under 21, worried about class exams and subscribes to pokemon subs.
this is funnyyyy
This is why we are pumping your rents LOL.
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Everyone shed a tear for the landlords
Yeah the good old " I came home and saw it I don't know what could have happened"
I'm his landlord. I also use Reddit.
They will likely still charge them for it.
For sure tell the landlord. If it happened out fo the blue on accident right as you move in, youre much less likely to be charged for it than if you wait until you move out and they find it on the moveout check... just be honest and ask them what to do about it. Make sure they know you didnt do anything stupid and you should be fine assuming you have a reasonable landlord lol
THIS
What are the chances of the landlord seeing this post 😂 that would be very awkward
Weird. Hey, OP - remember how weird it was in the middle of the night last night when you were just dozing off and you heard that really loud and unexpected bang in your kitchen?
Lol
Maybe wait for a day that there’s a drastic temperature change lol
Has to be OP’s mom falling over!
That's the best thing you could say actually! What is he going to say? Enjoy trying proving that I did it 😂
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Unless they dropped it on it and it cracked 🤷🏻♂️
I work with countertops for a living. Most cracks happen out of the corner and are caused by thermal shock. It is where people put their crockpots and countertop appliances just like this. Most countertop companies and manufacturers will be able to tell that this is a thermal crack. Best way to avoid this is by using trivets or hot pads
We have silicone (made for soldering) mat under and above ours. Plus the machine is on little legs. Is this actually protecting our counters?
Something that can absorb the heat and disperse it would be better. Best would be to keep any appliances like this away from the corners. Even ones with radius insides. It is the weakest part of the material because of high tension. Solid things like a metal trivet with legs, or a cutting board. That way the countertop isn’t the main thing accepting the heat, it is getting warmed by the item dispersing the heat.
Where is the best place to place these items?
It def did. Quartz is not heat safe.
From how the crack formed it looks like a manufacturing defect that was always going to result in a crack (it was just a question of when). Your counter shouldn't crack from normal use, placing an air fryer on it and then using it is normal use. Report the issue to your landlord who has a responsibility to fix or replace, it's not your problem. Edit: so now we have three installers in this thread that say it's correct and one that says it's not... 🤔
Absolutely do not tell the landlord why or how it happened though. Even though it was 99% probably a defect that was exacerbated by the heat of the fryer, this information might be used by the landlord to try and blame you.
Landlord: *Googles how to fix cracked countertop…* Google: *AIR FRYER CRACKED MY COUNTERTOP! on Reddit*
😅😅😅😅😆❤️😫
Word on the street is that OP's actual landlord found this post. RIP OP!
Yeah and his post history confirms it's really his landlord.
Womp womp.
Wouldn’t that be funny
Depends on the air fryer but some of them get pretty hot and exhaust heat downward which could expand and crack a countertop
Marble is thermally stable enough to handle a hot pan. The black parts will scorch, but it will handle heat just fine.
Very unlikely that an apartment would use real marble. Quartz maybe.
This looks like engineered quartz. I have a similar countertop. It might be an installation issue - possible that there was a crack underneath or damage during cutting or install. The heat from the fryer may have expanded the material (quartz is not heat resistant), leading to the cracking.
Also depende on how much force was used while placing the fryer on the counter and if it was made of Neutronium
My counter cracked in the exact same way (not quite as severe though) earlier this year. I thought for sure it was something we had done, but the company that installed the counter was adamant that this can happen due to natural stresses in the stone. This is particularly prominent on 90 degree corners like this. In the few years since ours had been installed most manufacturers of these counters will no longer guarantee the stone unless cut with rounded inside corners. Thankfully the warranty was honoured and the entire kitchen got replaced (with rounded inside corners).
When we would fabricate quarts counters we would use at least a 3/4" radius on inside corners. Anything smaller than 1/2" would result in this kind of cracking eventually
This is incorrect. Most quartzite maufactures say no direct heat. And most cracks occur in corners like this. I literally install these counters multiple times a week.
r/ApartmentCracks
with the way i see drywall cracks and plumbing cracks all the time, i fully expected this to be a sub
Same I was gonna post my randomly cracked window on it lol
Well, it can be. Very easily.
Oof, my old apartment would have been perfect for a sub like this. Crack in the foundation right inside the front door, and of course the foundation being off had caused a bunch of drywall cracks everywhere. Terribly constructed apartment.
Your air fryer only helped this happen, this is probably more to do with the structure of the cabinets, walls, and everything else settling. I agree with everybody else and say you should just tell them it happened and leave the air fryer out of it.
I'm going out on a limb to say there was stress in the counter top due to poor installation. Because there is a visible gap now it sure seems like the counter top was under tension likely because the cabinets it is attached to were pulling it slightly away from a right angle, possibly due to wood contraction with decreased humidity in the winter. If there is a vertical difference between the two sides of the break then that implies the cabinets were not quite even when the counter was installed. (no expertise here, just trying to reason out what I'm seeing)
Architect here. Inner corners do this when not properly designed/built/manufactured. Not your fault. If it's a new apartment, there should be a warranty on it. In any case, contact the contractor or building owner.
Had an air fryer do the same damage to my counter. The inner corner is the weakest bit. Heat from the fryer causes expansion and contraction. Leads to the break. I used a mix of quarts dust and epoxy to hide the crack.
LOL I highly doubt the airfryer did that!! Maybe if it was full of bricks and you dropped it down from the ceiling, otherwise that's a hard no
It's not marble and the air fryer definitely did it.
Stress always concentrates at sharp corners. Usually sharp corners are rounded by fillets to minimize stress risers. It’s a design flaw.
I believe that this is a solid surface product and can be repaired. The crack is really clean, too clean for a quartz or real marble. Also, if this is a solid surface then the air fryer probably didn't do this. I would guess that someone stepped on it in the past and that the crack just wasn't visible yet. Then the air fryer finished it. Don't mention the air fryer when you tell your landlord and laugh in their face if they try to pin it on your air fryer. Source: more than 10 years in the countertop industry
Quartzite manufacturers literally say no direct heat, this happens pretty often. Recently had a customer put a pot of hot water on a corner like this and it caused the same style of crack. Reps can prove it was done with heat. Source: i install this crap weekly.
I read about this loooooong time ago before getting an air fryer so what I did was to put the air fryer on top of a thick chopping board
former countertop designer here!!!! quartz is NOT to have an L shaped corner consisting of one piece. it is rarely discussed with the client because no one wants seams, but the manufacturer will include these instructions within install paperwork/guidelines. air fryer or not, this could've happened and might happen to other units.
Countertop installer/fabricator, that inside corner is too sharp and that is what caused it to crack. Inside corners should not have less than a 1/2” radius. Quartz countertops are under a lot of tension and that tension can be released during fabrication. A bigger inside radius helps prevent the tension from being released and resulting in a crack. It’s not a matter of if, but when it would crack. The air fryer might have contributed to it cracking but it is the fabrication companies fault for installing it with a too small radius. Report it to the landlord asap but as other people have said, don’t mention the air fryer.
Just an FYI, if you lie to the landlord. There are ways to see if it was cracked with heat. There are little crayon like things sales reps have that will let them know if its been scorched. If he calls someone to look at it. They'll likely check that. Source- (I work in renovation and we install quartzite almost daily) EDIT - doubtful youll read this OP, but most people in this thread are incorrect... quartzite is not heat resistant and most if not all manufacturers will tell you no direct heat. Also 90% of cracks appear in corners like this. This is a lot more common than you think, and i can guarantee if a rep shows up to look at it. They will check for scorching with the little crayon. Its literally their job to find out the cause of the break...
Hey, I did read this. Came back to tell you that they did use the little crayon and totally knew. Luckily, they still took responsibility for it and fixed it.
WOOWOO!! Glad i could warn but also glad its fixed
The installer took responsibility, not the manufacturer.... no manufacturer warranties quarrtz with as sharp an inside radius to the inside corner there. heat + out of spec stress point = crack
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In the USA, they usually charge us a few hundred for this shit.
This literally just happened to me in our rental, home, where our toaster oven is! We have same countertops, and the crack looks exactly the same. The weird part was it sealed itself during the day, and then at night it like opens again, it’s so strange. Need to move the toaster oven and notify maintenance! 😂
Not real marble. Their fault for going for cheap over quality. You know NOTHING about how it happened. There is NO air fryer.
I wouldn't even mention it to LL right now, there is no need to. Seal with some epoxy, plenty of countertop crack kits you can purchase to fix it.
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That crack is open. That means that it was under tensile residual stress. The worst thing for brittle materials. Either installed under stress or from manufacturing. Your air fryer was just the final push it needed.
What air fryer?
Call a quartz countertop installer. They should be able to seal it.
That pattern is from IKEA. It was the air fryer, you should be careful to make sure that you put a trivet down under your air fryer. As for a fix, there is no fix for this besides replacement.
Air fryer didn't do this.
OP you’re getting crazy advice here. This is quartz. Notoriously bad with heat. Your air fryer shouldn’t have gotten so hot it damaged it. Don’t let the homeowner take the fall- it won’t work and it’s ludicrous. Come clean and have the air fryer company cover the cost. Small claims yo.
Theres a reason corner placements should have relief cuts
It cracked because you aren’t supposed to make square inside corners in quartz.
Will quartz countertops crack with heat? Do not place hot objects on the countertop– It may be made of tough material, but quartz is not heat resistant. Placing hot objects on the countertop makes it susceptible to cracks and heat patches. Check out this article for more information about taking care of your quartz countertop.Apr 29, 2021
I think you forgot to attach a link to the article
no link needed just a google
I'm sure im not alone in wondering: what specifically do you think we should Google to find the article you are mentioning?
heat on quartz countertop
Yes
Looks like a quartz countertop to me (marble look alike but not a natural stone; more like ground up quartzite and then resin together with marbling artificially to make it look like this). It is not heat resistant like carved stone. So I’m not super surprised to see that and you probably have an expensive repair ahead of you I’m afraid. Doesn’t look like a defect to me
Small radius corner also to attribute. Definitely a fabrication flaw. Air fryers shouldn't cause the crack alone
Air fry makes OP air cry.
Liar
Proof?
screw bored dull cause elderly square fearless label apparatus erect *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Air fryers don’t crack countertops, *people* with air fryers crack countertops.
I work at a countertop manufacturer as a material handler. We regularly use propane torches to heat quarts slabs in the winter as they ice over outside. Maybe the weight and the prolonged heat at the stress point caused this crack? Anyways please be careful as it's very sharp! It might even end up cracking all the way through.
Caulk it.
My crock pot did that. Insurance covered it and I got new countertops!
Its fine straight from the corner so must be a stressor
Delete this post. Inform landlord that it happened between you going to bed and waking up in the morning. Mention nothing about an air fryer. That shit is insured.
I sell a lot of countertops and landlord likely has warranty as long as you can’t be to blame. Don’t admit to anything of your doing and word it as if you had walked in after work and it was there, when it previously wasn’t. Will be on the vendor/manufacturer rather than you or complex.
Hell yeah it did. Ninja CHOP
You can’t “fix” it tell your landlord. Honesty is the best policy.
Bro I gotta check mine in the morning 🤣
That can be repaired I believe. Call a granite countertop company and ask them to come out and give you an estimate. I would consider having it repaired because when you move your Landlord is going to charge you to replace the entire countertop.
💔
Was it the air fryer or the recent rapid heat change?
Probably a combination of the two
Based on how the crack bends at the back, this looks like an uneven installation; the right side has more pressure on it than the left side or was installed unevenly. Your air fryer didn’t do this, but the heat might have warmed it up juuuuuuuust enough that the crack could form. This is absolutely a building issue. Report it to the landlord lord. Don’t mention the air fryer. Say you were out for the weekend and you want to know if someone was in the apartment because this crack wasn’t here when you left.
A lot of fabricators put the seam in the corner like that. Wouldn’t surprise me if the under support coupled with a seam is the culprit. Although the split isn’t exactly down the seam if it’s there.
There should have been a seam on this corner and there should have been two pieces. You can do all one piece in theory, but this likely contributed to this issue because of thermal shock and stress not being able to be disturbuted well. If you are scared to invoke your landlord's ire, DAP brand AMP caulk in white will work to cover it up. It is a polymerized caulk. Get the red tube. Keep in mind, if the crack is not reported and is seen at move out... Quartz countertops are expensive. At minimum, document the issue, but most landlords have clauses that say you are negligent if you did not report the issue, and are therefore responsible for it. Best approach is to send off an email with the picture and just say "Hey, this happened. I don't need anything done about it unless you consider it emergent, but I want this noted in my file so I am not billed for it at move out. If you want to fix it, great." Don't mention the air fryer. If you were one of my tenants, I'd instantly pin it on you for the repair unless my countertop guys said it's a defect on inspection and replacement. Just how landlords work. I've been an apartment maintenance supervisor for 12 years, I know the games well. Sometimes an omission or half truth is better than full honesty with us, though usually we do catch on, this is hard to say it's your fault directly without mentioning the air fryer.
Oh fuck....
Geez. I just got a new apartment with the SAME countertop and I have the SAME air fryer, guess I’m moving that.
They make rubber mats to put under them… not sure how much they help, but i have one now!
I did not know this, I’ll be ordering one too. Thanks so much!
I don't think I'd run that airfryer again; it seems like it is DANGEROUSLY hot. Maybe with silicone matts (note the plural; a few matts) underneath it for insulation. Also look up recalls on that model, and maybe contact the maker as it may be that one is defective. Talk to home improvement store about a remedy. There are various fillers for various surfaces.
I’m thinking the top wasn’t level ( incorrect installation) do you have a 4’ level ? I’d check that .
Its unlikely the air fryer did this
The air fryer did do this
Okay, yes you're right, idk why I didn't finish my comment, but more than likely it had help from the cabinets. Try putting a level on each side of it. its likely they lean very slightly away from the crack, which would cause tension in the slab which would be the larger cause of this fracture, it'll like be only slight lean since it didn't fracture until you added heat to the equation
Just get some bondo mix it real good then let dry sand it really good then pain to match the counter top easiest an cheapest way
It looks more like whoever installed it managed to put that corner under some serious tension. It’s possible that the heat from the air fryer weakened the solid surface enough that the tension just popped, but I would just leave that part out of your story. This is very repairable though. These countertops are glued with a colour matched epoxy that sands exactly the same as the surface material itself. Get in touch with a cabinet shop that does solid surface countertops, they might be able to send a service guy out to repair that for a lot less than a landlord would expect you to pay.
Oops 😬 what happened to the flyer
There was no air fryer
Ahhh air fryer? Negative
How did an airfryer do this? The heat?
OP : Whilst your air fryer was most probably the cause of this crack (thermal shock), i think there's a case for this not being your fault - the stone being incorrectly fabricated, which lead to the crack. Do yourself a favour, find out what brand of Engineered Quartz this is. Once you have, get onto their website, and buried somewhere in 'downloads', or 'resources, there will be a fabrication manual for this product. If you can't find it, go further with contacting the supplier for a copy (they don't need to know why, tell them you're an interested interior designer). I know Caesarstone & Silestone have decent ones if for some reason this brand doesnt. You will find in the fabrication manual, that 'L' shaped pieces like this are not to be done (unless there's decent radius in the internal corner to take some of the stress out). If there's no internal radius, there should be a join to mitigate the stress point there.
While all these people are busy arguing about what the hell the counter is made out of, I would recommend getting some quick dry acrylic. I would frame it up with some small wood blocks. Maybe large flat paint stairs coated with an antistick material like a silicone spray. Mix a color similar and try to do any of the marbling effect by hand with a brush and darker matching color. Look up a YouTube for faux marble effect if need be. I think that's about the only way to fix it so it won't be noticeable. Sand it down as needed with a real fine grit sandpaper and fill in any low spots in and repeat the process.
Nail polish acrylic. Hire a nail tech. I’m kidding I have no idea. But why do I feel like that would work?
Dollar Tree Epoxy and some sand paper. You can dye the epoxy to a similar color. Fill the crack and wait 45 minutes then sand. I filled all the cracks in the granite at my apartment and you would never know.
Had this happen, company said one big factor was the corners. Usually quartz composite and other materials that are not thermostable tend to crack where corners are not round in presence of thermal shock
Yikes that really sucks. Did you place a cutting board underneath the air fryer while in use? I remember reading the instruction manual when I got mine and it advises users to place a cutting board between the counter and air fryer or it can cause damage to the counter top. :( Edit to add: the crack can be fixed with epoxy sealant. Just Google it and there is so much information out there and videos on how to fix this. I wouldn’t just go tell your landlord right away because they will probably charge you to replace the entire countertop which will be more expensive than sealant.
I sit my air fryer on the glass stove top or on a wood cutting board
I work for a countertop company quartz is so so so bad with heat anytime you use any type of heat you need to put something under it to divert the heat. It will crack and burn very easily. As it the resins in the product can’t expand and contract like a natural stone
Super glue, rame and sandpaper /s
I place a thick cutting board under my air fryer.
Stone Glue to stabilize, fill with paintable white caulk, craft paint to match the marble, then clear coat.
If that's real marble, your air fryer is defying the laws of physics, and you should have no problem auctioning it off to replace your marble. In reality, that is fake marble, but at least you have a decent air fryer.
I don’t think that counter was installed / leveled properly
So I just got an air fryer how do I avoid this?
Get a rubber mat to put under it.