November 22, 2022 - Jasmyn Johnson
Cold rooms are used for a variety of industries to protect and store, but an industry which may not be the first to come to mind is funeral homes and morgues. Cold rooms are used in this industry to store and protect dead bodies from decomposition before they are buried or cremated.
At MTCSS we understand that this can be a sensitive subject and the importance of high-quality cold storage to maintain the stringent conditions required; not only to ensure the safety of bodies, but also to adhere to the strict requirements of the industry.
Cold Rooms for Morgues and Funeral Homes
Walk-In Fridges
Morgues and funeral homes that utilise cold rooms for body storage, most commonly use walk-in fridges (also known as walk-in chillers or chiller cold rooms) to store bodies at positive low temperatures of around 2°C.
Refrigerating bodies helps reduce the rate of decomposition – allowing family members to visit their loved ones before a funeral, and keeping the bodies stored safely prior to burial or cremation. By using cold rooms to store bodies at low temperatures, they can typically be stored for four to six weeks within the correct conditions.
Walk-in fridges by MTCSS can maintain temperatures of between +2⁰C and +8⁰C with only a +/-1⁰C variability. Back-up refrigeration is also an option to ensure that in the event of a refrigeration unit failure or problem, then another unit will kick in so there is no downtime and any bodies stored will be protected from external conditions.
Cold rooms are not only used for the storage of bodies, but also for body preparation areas. Our cold room panels are made from high quality insulation and are easy to clean, making them the ideal solution for high-contamination areas.
Walk-In Freezers for Body Storage
Cold rooms which maintain negative temperatures, or walk-in freezers, are less commonly used to store bodies. However, walk-in freezers are typically used in forensics, as the low temperature means the body becomes frozen, so the rate of decomposition is very low. This allows the body to be stored for longer periods.
Why Use Cold Rooms in Funeral Homes and Morgues?
Other than reducing the rate of decomposition, utilising cold rooms for body storage has other benefits. Storing bodies in cold rooms at low temperatures is an alternative to using chemicals to help preserve bodies.
Using a cold room to reduce decomposition is considered a greener and more environmentally friendly method of body preservation, compared to utilising chemicals – helping to reduce negative impact on the environment.
Choosing MTCSS for your Funeral Home & Morgue Cold Rooms
The MTCSS team understand the importance of storing bodies correctly, which is why we design our cold rooms to be easy to clean, energy efficient and to stand the test of time.
We can design cold rooms to fit your specific size requirements and to adhere to the stringent specifications of the industry. Not only can we design and build cold rooms for body storage, but we can also provide storage racks and body trays.
If you would like to talk to MTCSS about how we can help design a cold room for your funeral home or morgue, get in touch with a member of our team. Call us on 01886 833381, email us at sales@mtcss.co.uk, or fill in an enquiry form here.
FAQs
Cold rooms are used in this industry to store and protect dead bodies from decomposition before they are buried or cremated.
How long can a body be kept in cold storage? ›
Refrigeration is an alternative option, which lasts longer than embalming. Morticians will keep the body in a fridge at two degrees Celsius instead of preparing the body with chemicals. However, you need to keep in mind that a refrigerated corpse will only last for three to four weeks.
What is a cold room in a mortuary? ›
Mortuary cold rooms to be assembled for the storage of multiple corpses for a short or long period, with different configuration possibilities, including side loading. Temperature range. +2 / +8°C.
How do funeral homes keep bodies cold? ›
Refrigeration is the easiest, most economical method of body preservation. When a body is preserved though refrigeration, it is kept at a temperature below 40°F, which sufficiently delays decomposition. This temperature can be achieved through refrigeration, with ice or dry ice, or with gel packs.
What is the significance of cold room? ›
The role of refrigeration cold rooms
They are equipped with powerful cooling systems, precise temperature controls, and humidity management features. These aspects collectively contribute to prolonging the shelf life of various food products and reducing the risk of spoilage, preserving both quality and safety.
How long does a casket last in the ground? ›
If you are looking at a long-lasting ground casket, pick a steel or metal casket. If the grave site is low on water content or moisture, metal caskets are known to last even longer, over five decades. Under favorable weather conditions, experts say that metal caskets may even last more than that – up to 80 years.
How long can a body stay at a funeral home? ›
In most cases, so long as the remains are properly refrigerated, funeral homes can store a body for a few days to a few weeks.
How does a cold room work? ›
Cold rooms largely work the same as any other refrigeration equipment. They use a compressor, condenser, fans and an evaporator so they can maintain temperature. A gas refrigerant gets compressed before expanding and absorbing energy, and passing over the evaporator coils.
Are bodies refrigerated before cremation? ›
You do not have to be embalmed to be cremated. While the body does need to be preserved in some way before its final disposition, this can also be accomplished by refrigeration.
What is a cooling table in a funeral home? ›
Cooling tables are wooden platforms on which a dead body would be temporarily stored and prepared for a funeral. Ice was placed beneath it to keep the body chilled, slowing the decomposition process. It could also be used to display the body for a viewing if the casket was not delivered in time.
Different bioremediation chemicals are used for the removal of smell from a corpse. These chemicals are approved as disinfectants and deodorizers for dead bodies. The cleaning procedure is the recommended standard for cleaning, removing, and disinfecting blood, body fluid, odours and other contagious diseases.
What happens to a buried body in the winter? ›
They freeze. Normal decomposition is reduced to almost nothing. Some scavengers may get access and remove tissue. If not thawed the condition would be consistent with very little to no degradation.
Do most funeral homes have refrigeration? ›
Most funeral homes have refrigerated storage for families who choose not to embalm. It's best to talk to a funeral director about your options for taking care of your loved one while you plan their funeral as they may be able to provide more specifics on their refrigeration or embalming processes.
What can a cold room be used for? ›
A cold room is an environmental room designed to control temperature as low as 35°F. Cold rooms are mainly used for storage of biological/chemical materials and reagents but can also be used for general chemistry and biological experiments.
Why sleeping in a cold room is good for you? ›
Cold sleep promotes the natural balance and production of essential hormones, such as melatonin and growth hormone. These hormones play a crucial role in regulating sleep, immune function, metabolism, and overall well-being.
Who uses cold rooms? ›
Hotels and restaurants, the liquor industry, and medical facilities related to forensics utilize cold rooms and temperature control systems for storage.
- Post-Harvest Storage of Products. ...
- Retail Food Industry. ...
- Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Industry. ...
- Brewery and Winery Industries. ...
- Chemical and Processing Industries.
Instead of preparing the body with chemicals, morticians will store it in a fridge that keeps the body at two degrees Celsius. However, like embalming, it's important to remember that this merely slows the decomposition process – it doesn't stop it. A refrigerated body will last three to four weeks.
How long can a dead body be kept without a freezer? ›
Not for too long because as soon as a body dies it starts to decompose within two days that corpse would be so decayed that it would be bloated, it takes two days for a body to fully rot.
What is the lifespan of cold storage? ›
The typical lifespan of a cold room might be anywhere from 5 to 20 years. There is such a wide range in length because there are several types of cold rooms and variables that can affect your cold room's longevity. These extra elements include: Damage.
Can you preserve a body by freezing it? ›
Cryopreservation may be accomplished by freezing, freezing with cryoprotectant to reduce ice damage, or by vitrification to avoid ice damage. Even using the best methods, cryopreservation of whole bodies or brains is very damaging and irreversible with current technology.
