Most crematoriums have a 48-hour turn-around time for collection of ashes as standard. Some crematoriums offer 24-hour processing of ashes and may charge an extra fee for this.
The cremation itself takes about three to four hours, with another one to two hours for processing. Once a body is cremated, it typically takes seven to ten days to return the ashes to the family.
Because the cremation chamber reaches very high temperatures (up to 1000 degrees celsius), the ashes take 1-2 hours to cool after they've come out of the chamber.
How soon after the service will the cremation take place? Under normal circumstances the cremation is carried out shortly after the service. However when a service takes place late in the day, or there is an equipment failure, the cremation can take place the next morning.
You don't get ash back.
Once you burn off all the water, soft tissue, organs, skin, hair, cremation container/casket, etc., what you're left with is bone. When complete, the bones are allowed to cool to a temperature that they can be handled and are placed into a processing machine.
After the cremation process is complete, you receive three to seven pounds of remains that look white and feel soft like ashes. What's returned to you is the person's skeleton. Once you burn off all the water, soft tissues, and cremation container/casket, etc., all that's left is bone.
We use the identification provided by the facility or place of death, often a photograph provided by the family, for visual identification along with a uniquely numbered metal identification disk which is assigned to your loved one once he/she enters our care.
After the cremation process
Cremated remains can usually be collected from the crematorium within 2 working days. It is possible to collect on the same day by prior arrangement if there is an urgent need - for example travel overseas for a memorial service or scattering.
The Regulation does not allow more than one body to be cremated in the same crematory retort at the same time to ensure that the ashes they receive are not a mixture of ashes from different people. It is for this reason that cremation authorities no longer attempt to separate wood ash from human ash.
Do bodies move during cremation? If a body is burned at a low enough temperature and quickly after death, movements are possible. Because of the efficiency of modern cremation chambers, however, the body immediately begins its dissolution, and movement is unlikely.
Ashes have no expiry date
There's no rush on moving or transferring them. You can keep them in the container from the crematorium for as long as you need. You might keep them in your home forever, or you might decide to scatter or bury them at a later date.
When a family hasn't yet collected the cremation ashes of a loved one, funeral directors are expected to hold ashes for at least five years before disposing of them accordingly.
Weight of Ashes After Cremation
As a general rule, ashes following cremation will weigh between 4 to 6 pounds, or around 3.5% of the person's original weight. In the case of children, ashes weigh about 2.5% of the original body weight.
Cremains contain what is known as rest energy, sometimes referred to as free or dormant energy. This type of energy is still subject to the restraints of natural law, and can have no physical or spiritual impact on those around it.
The answer is no—cremated remains are not mixed with any other ashes. Crematoria take a number of precautions to prevent any ashes from being mixed, including using separate receptacles for each set of cremated remains and thoroughly cleaning the cremation chamber after each use.
You may, if you wish, choose to have the curtains remain open. The impacting difference in closing the curtains or having them remain open is this; If the curtains close, the coffin is taken away from you, if the curtains remain open then it is you who must walk away from the coffin.
The Cremation Process
All handles, flowers and personal belongings remain with your loved one and are cremated as one. By using one coffin per body and identifying each person with a metal plate, we ensure that only one person is cremated at a time.
Is a body drained before cremation? Draining a body of fluids does not happen before cremation. If a body is embalmed before cremation, the bodily fluids are exchanged (drained, and then replaced) with chemicals during the embalming process.
During cremation, the body parts that do burn consist of organs, soft tissue, hair, and skin, while the water in our bodies evaporates. The body parts that do not burn are bone fragments.
In eighty per cent of cases the cremation ashes are strewn or buried in the gardens of remembrance at the crematorium. A few crematoria have niches where urns may be placed, but these are usually on a lease basis and if not renewed periodically the ashes would be strewn or buried.
What Happens to the Coffin During Cremation? Yes, the coffin is cremated along with the body and everything inside. The container the deceased is laid in before it's placed into the chamber is cremated along with the body. Once the coffin enters the crematorium, it is legally not allowed to be opened.
The benefits of witnessing are largely personal. For some people, being present when the casket takes its final journey into the cremation enclosure is comforting or may be part of their traditions. For others, it may demystify something that they weren't able to be part of in the past.
Are Cremation Ashes Heavy? A box of adult human ashes can be surprisingly heavy. If you are still expecting the remains to be like that of a campfire, the weight might be unexpected. Human cremation ashes include crushed bone, which makes them denser than ash from wood and therefore heavier.
No, but a final container for the remains is required, although it can be anything from a plastic bag to an elaborate urn. After cremation, cremated remains are placed in a temporary container.
Ashes are heavier than some people expect
But human ashes aren't the same type of ash - they're made of bone. Bones are made of various acids, minerals, and salts, which means they're heavier than many people expect. How heavy the ashes are will depend on the person who's died.