Crematorium services are typically offered by a crematory or funeral home. When your loved one prefers to be cremated rather than interred, this is the option you will choose. There are many things people commonly do not know about cremation, so here is more info on what to expect when you reach out to a crematorium.
How Cremation Works
The First Steps
Before the cremation process begins, the body needs to be checked for any metal or medical devices that may be present. This often happens before the body even arrives at the crematorium. Because the temperatures are so high, there’s a risk that some implants and devices could cause dangerous reactions. The most common items that funeral directors must remove before a body is inserted into the retort are:
Jewelry: Most jewelry and other accessories such as watches will break down during cremation and should be removed from the body prior to cremation.
Pacemakers: Pacemakers must be removed because they could explode during the cremation process. Other surgical implants could cause the same reaction so it’s important that funeral directors be well-versed in cremation safety.
The Cremation Process
The next step is to place the body into a casket or a container, depending on the choice of the family of the deceased. The retort is then preheated and the body is inserted using a mechanized door. When the process starts, the body is exposed to a column of flames in order to incinerate it. Due to the body’s high water content, most of it simply gets vaporized and turns into smoke that is processed inside the retort. The process takes anywhere between three to four hours depending on the power of the retort and the mass of the body inserted. After this step is completed, the cremated bones will come out of the retort and then be processed.
What happens after the process is done?
Most of the time, the bones that come out of the retort are too big to be processed any further so they are pulverized into smaller pieces by a cremation technician. These remains are then placed into a tray that is left to cool off. Should any metal parts of the container or devices not removed prior to cremation still be present, they’ll be stored or disposed of according to local rules and regulations. Next, the remains are then placed into a device called a cremulator. Cremulators crush the cremated remains into a fine, sand-like powder. Typically white or grey in colour, they resemble ashes (hence the name). Finally, the cremated remains are transferred into a container or urn and returned to the family.
When choosing a crematorium service for your family, feel free to ask them as many questions as you need to including how long it will take for the cremation process to be completed, when you’ll receive your loved one’s remains and for any guidance you require to plan a funeral service. A crematorium can also help you with options on what to do with your loved one’s cremated remains.
