People choose cremation for many reasons. Some see it as easier from an emotional standpoint. Others perceive it as less costly. Cremation comes with a certain flexibility that many appreciate. And those with environmental concerns find it a friendlier alternative to casket burial.
What happens before cremation?
After a death, a few things happen regardless of whether a person will be cremated or have a traditional burial. A medical professional or coroner will release the loved one's body, and a transport team will pick up the loved one from home or a care facility and take them to a funeral home.
If the family or loved one has chosen a viewing or funeral service before cremation, it's likely that the loved one will be embalmed (many people prefer it, and some states require it). Then the loved one will be dressed and prepared for guests.
If the family or loved one has chosen not to have a viewing or funeral service before cremation, the loved one will be placed in a wooden casket—metal or fiberglass caskets are not permitted in the cremation chamber—or cremation container (required in most states) made of wood or fiberboard.
Technically, a loved one can be cremated immediately after death. However, local and state laws require certain documents before a cremation can take place. Those documents include:
- an authorization for final disposition or death certificate stating the final disposition.
- a cremation authorization form signed by a spouse, if the deceased had one, or the person's children, siblings or whoever is next of kin. Some states allow for self-authorization during prearrangement.
Gathering the necessary paperwork can take a few days to a few weeks. The exact time depends on governmental authorities and the family. The crematory operator works closely with the funeral home to collect all the necessary paperwork.
Once the crematorium has all the documents, the operator will review the paperwork to make sure it is complete and correct, checking the name of the loved one, the crematory's name, the date of the cremation, all of the signatures and much more.
After checking the paperwork and receiving the loved one and before cremation, the crematory operator checks a few more things:
- Are the loved one's personal effects accounted for?
- If a family requested the loved one's fingerprints, for fingerprint jewelryor any other reason, have those been collected?
- Does the name, date of birth, funeral home and death date on the loved one's ID band match the paperwork?
The operator will then weigh the loved one to determine the best time in the schedule (heavier people and caskets of harder materials go before lighter people and more lightweight caskets). The loved one then goes into secure refrigeration until the cremation.
What happens during cremation?
At Dignity Memorial, each trained and certified crematory operator strictly abides by local laws. Each cremation follows a very detailed process, and each loved one gets the utmost respect and care. Operators pay great attention to their work to ensure that every step of a loved one's journey through the crematory is accurately logged.
If a family has requested a small service or witness cremation, the family will be welcomed into the crematorium the day of the cremation, shortly before it is scheduled to take place. Otherwise, typically only the operator and the loved one are present at a cremation.
When the scheduled cremation time comes, the operator will remove the loved one from refrigeration, verify his or her identity again, and move the loved one into the cremation chamber. Ideally, cremation occurs in a chamber heated to 1,400-1,650 degrees Fahrenheit (760-899 degrees Celsius).
How does a crematory work?
There are many different crematory models, but they generally all have a main chamber with a main burner in the roof's center. Once the loved one is in the chamber and the door is closed and secured, the burner is ignited by natural gas, and air is forced into the chamber through small openings just a few inches from the floor.
Oxygen fuels the flame and creates primary combustion. Particles swirl around and make their way out of a larger opening in the back or side of the chamber. The particles then go through a winding passage called a secondary combustion chamber underneath the retort floor or behind the chamber. In that secondary chamber, any remaining particles and gasses are burned off.
Before leaving the retort, cremation emissions pass through an opacity monitor, which detects smoke. Crematory emissions should be clear and safe for the environment.
How long does a cremation take?
A typical cremation takes one to three hours, depending on the loved one's weight, body composition and where they fall in the day's schedule. The crematory operator monitors every cremation carefully the entire time.
Once the cremation is complete, a cool-down period of 45-60 minutes begins. (Some newer models don't need to cool down.) Afterward, the operator dons heat-resistant gear, opens the chamber door and checks the loved one's ID once more. The operator removes the ashes from the chamber and into a metal tray or container to cool.
At this point, the loved one's ashes are more like bone fragments than ashes. Once these have cooled completely, the operator removes any metal or nonorganic fragments (metal is sent to a recycler) and then places the ashes into a high-speed machine that grinds them to a more familiar texture. Every bit of the ashes is then placed carefully into a thick, clear bag. The loved one's metal ID disc is securely tied to the bag before it is placed in a temporary urn. The urn is then sealed, labeled appropriately and delivered to the funeral home within 72 hours, bringing the cremation process to an end.
How is identification maintained during the cremation process?
Each loved one is assigned an identification band as soon as they are in the care of a Dignity Memorial provider. Of course, an ID band wouldn't make it through the cremation process, so the crematory assigns each loved one a metal disc with a unique number. That disc goes with them inside the cremation chamber and remains with them throughout the process.
What happens with pacemakers or other medical devices during cremation?
If the loved one to be cremated has a pacemaker, it will be removed at the funeral home before the person is sent to the crematory. Other internal medical devices with batteries and external medical devices are removed as well. Medical devices like metal implants or shunts are left with the loved one and removed after cremation.
Are people dressed when they're cremated?
Clothing is optional, but people who are cremated are usually wearing clothes. A loved one may be wearing the clothes they were wearing at death. Or a loved one may be dressed in clothes provided by the family for a viewing or funeral service. If there are no dressing instructions or clothes provided, the funeral home will dress the loved one in a hospital gown or wrap the person in a clean sheet.
Families sometimes send trinkets, memorabilia, cards or keepsakes to the funeral home to be cremated with their loved ones. For the most part, these items are safe for the cremation chamber. However, glass, fiberglass, explosives, liquids, sharp items and batteries are not.
How much do ashes weigh?
The weight of the ashes depends on the person. Factors like bone density and size determine how heavy ashes are. According to the Cremation Association of North America, the average weight of adult cremated remains is 4 to 6 pounds.
What happens after a cremation?
What happens after a cremation depends on what you or your loved one planned. If you or your loved one have planned a cremation memorial, a service with the loved one's ashes present can occur. You can wait until that day to take your loved one's urn home, or you can pick it up before the service.
A family may opt to do that when the service is planned for weeks or months later, and they wish to have their loved one nearby until it takes place.
If no service is planned, the funeral home will call you to schedule a convenient time for you to reunite with your loved one to take them home. If you or your loved one chose an urn—or multiple urns—your Dignity Memorial funeral director will present the urn—or urns—to you in a small ceremony and then escort you to your car.
Some people find that picking up their loved one from the funeral home is a time of renewed sadness. That's a perfectly normal feeling, and it could be a good time to talk to a grief counselor. Families who choose a Dignity Memorial provider can access free professional counseling for up to 13 months after services. Learn about the 24-Hour Compassion Helpline®.
