Refrigeration
Storing the body in a cooled facility (typically 36–40 °F) to slow decomposition. The legal alternative to embalming in every US state.
Refrigeration is how most bodies in the US are held between death and final disposition. Funeral homes, hospital morgues, and crematories all have refrigeration. It is included in the funeral home's basic services fee and does not appear as a separate line item in most cases.
Refrigeration is sufficient for a short viewing held within a few days of death, particularly when the family handles the body and dresses it themselves. It does not allow for the cosmetic preparation that embalming does, so it is not the right choice when the family wants the body to look as it did in life for an open-casket viewing held a week later.
States that require either embalming or refrigeration after a defined time (typically 24–48 hours) include all major US states. Refrigeration always satisfies these rules.
- Embalming— A chemical process that temporarily preserves the body, used mainly to allow a viewing several days after death. Not required by law in most situations.
- Viewing— Time at the funeral home when family and friends gather around the body before the funeral. Can be open-casket (body visible) or closed-casket.
This definition is general consumer information, not legal, medical, or financial advice. Industry practices and regulations change occasionally; verify before relying on anything here for a specific decision.
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