The rate of cremation in America was 50,2% in 2016 and according to the National Funeral Directors Association this rate will continue to rise and about 55,8% of Americans are expected to choose cremation this year. Although it is a common service not many people know what happens during a cremation service in places like Huntington beach funeral home or how the process works. If you are curious about it keep reading.

What is Cremation?

It is a process that uses heat to transforms the human remains into ashes. It also involves the processing and pulverization of the bone fragments into tiny pieces.

How Cremation Service Works

Transportation and Identification

The deceased person will be taken to a funeral home or directly to the crematory. At Huntington beach funeral homes, a family member will confirm the identity and a chain of ID will be placed on the body. The person who is doing the final arrangements needs to complete paperwork to provide authorization to the crematory. During this time the deceased will remain in secure, cold storage.

Preparation of the Body

This involves cleaning and dressing the body. The staff takes off the jewelry for the family. Medical devices and anything that runs with a battery needs to be removed before cremation. Synthetic clothing and shoes with rubber soles are usually not allowed either. The body is placed in a strong vessel before going into the chamber.

Cremation Chamber

The body is placed in an industrial furnace that is large enough to hold a body, this structure is commonly known as the cremation chamber. The body is exposed to extreme temperatures of 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. This process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours depending of the body size and stored temperature in the chamber. After incineration, the remains go through a cooling period before they can be handled. A person of the staff inspects the remains for pieces of metal left behind and removes them with magnets. A special processor grinds the fragments and turns them into ashes.

Transferring the Ashes

After grinding, the ashes are placed in a plastic bag and placed in either an urn or a temporary container if the family hasn’t selected one yet. Finally, the ashes are returned to the family.

It is important to have some basic knowledge of this topic in case you or a loved one are considering this as a choice.