When it is about putting your loved ones at their ultimate resting place, a major portion of cemeteries need a grave liner or burial vault. Besides, it is a common requirement that people know. But most family members are not familiar with vaults. Also, they don’t know about its importance.
In reality, these vaults provide you with the peace of mind that your loved one’s remains are safe. Moreover, they provide the cemetery grounds with much-needed protection by adding an extra layer. Want to know more about burial vaults and everything related to it? Continue reading the post and you will get your answers.
What is a vault for a casket?
A vault for a casket is a kind of concrete enclosure that houses the casket. It is placed in the cemetery and acts as a protective lining for your casket that you lower during the burial of your loved ones. While you may wonder about the need of having a vault, they are considered an important addition.
Typically, the vault will protect the casket from external damage caused by the land surrounding it. Besides, cemetery grounds tend to shift and sink over time. That way, a vault can keep the land from sinking and shifting as well. As a result, the cemetery space will remain firm and level.
Apart from that, the cemetery ground will look more beautiful because of the vaults. Most importantly, you will find a secure space to stand on whenever you visit the place. In general, you can find a vault that’s built with reinforced concrete, metal, or plastic.
However, most vaults that you find in the cemeteries are made with concrete. The best part of concrete is that it works better at preventing the grave and casket from sinking deep into the soil after the burial. The best vault helps enclose the casket from all four sides from top to bottom.
After lowering the casket into the vault, it is sealed with a strong tape seal, and the whole unit is lowered to the ground. Finally, a lid is used to seal the vault. From then on, the vault will begin its procedure to protect the casket.
Do you have to put a casket in a vault?
Using a vault for a casket is an ancient technique that has been a trend for more than a hundred years. Although there might be uses for a burial vault before the said period, there isn’t any proof that people used them. In short, you can say that it wasn’t documented until the end of the 1800s.
Nonetheless, this design has been a standard procedure for many cemeteries in the country. However, vaults have become a part of traditional burial and there is no question about that. But many people are still curious to know why they are being used even today. So, do you need to put a casket inside a vault?
Or, are they necessary? Whether or not they are required by a cemetery, there are two reasons why you should put a casket inside a vault. Using a vault helps protect your loved one’s grave from the soil around the cemetery. Also, it saves the remains of the deceased and the condition of the casket. Find out more about caskets in our guide here.
Typically, the real purpose of a vault is to protect the casket. Or else, the casket will begin to decay and break down completely into the earth. The movement of certain heavy equipment around the cemetery such as lawnmowers and excavators and the weight of the soil above the casket cause the soil to sink eventually.
As a result, you will find out that the casket caves in and leaves the cemetery ground unsafe. Because of these associated risks, many cemeteries require families to buy a vault for their casket. Even if a family doesn’t have to afford to buy a vault, cemeteries expect that they should at least use a grave liner that has some hole in it.
Besides, having a sealed, lined vault is important for other reasons as well. Vaults help support the weight of the earth while preventing the outside elements from entering inside the casket. No wonder, vaults can help you a lot when it comes to protecting the remains of your deceased loved one. Also, they protect the cemetery ground from getting uneven and other kinds of potential dangers.
What happens to a body in a vault?
To begin with, the first thing that will happen to the body inside the vault is that it stays detached from underground water, insects, soil erosion, and so on. However, if someone chooses to embalm the corpse, it will take a lot of time for the body to decompose. Also, the chemicals used during the process make decomposing faster or slower. To learn more about the embalming process or the chemicals used, check out our Embalming Explained and What is Embalming Fluid articles.
Overall, it will depend on a few things that will determine the fate of the body when it comes to decomposing of the body. However, not many people favor such things. For them, what they seek from the corpse of their beloved ones. But putting them in a casket and then enclosing them in a vault will make things unfavorable for them.
Concrete vaults don’t support the dust to dust process and take the body a long time to decompose. And, when these vaults come with plastic, it will take a few hundred years for the body to get dirt. If you have similar things in your mind, you should choose wood or biodegradable casket.
Besides, don’t use embalming. If it’s possible, you should go for cremation. That’s because it is the best and easiest way to turn the body into dirt. Some burial vaults come with over 50 years of longevity and safeguard the casket against the intrusion of water, insects, or other elements.
How much does a casket vault cost?
In general, you will find a few important things involved when it comes to the price of burial vaults. Because they are available in a variety of sizes, shapes, and places of origin, it is not possible to know how much a casket vault will cost you. Also, the price depends on the features you like and from where you are buying.
Another thing that you should keep in mind is that because burial vaults don’t have a one-size-fits-all, you should decide on the exact type that you wish to have during the funeral. Roughly speaking, burial vaults across the country costs between $1000 and $10,000.
And, it depends on a variety of factors such as add-ons and features. Because there are lots of things to consider, you should understand the differences before you plan to but one. Moreover, keep in mind that other than concrete, vaults are available in bronze, copper, or steel.
What is an urn vault?
If you are planning for ground burial for your beloved’s urn, you have to place it inside an urn vault. An urn vault is a sealed and lined outer receptacle that provides space for the urn. The urn vault protects the urn from the weight of the soil and heavy equipment that moves around over the soil.
The urn vaults are made of high-strength concrete. Besides, they are reinforced with a variety of lining materials that include high-impact plastic, stainless steel, copper, and bronze. If you can’t find the right one for your needs, take help from a funeral expert. They will help you find the right one that suits your requirement and budget.
An urn vault is specifically designed to keep your loved one’s urn and remains safe from certain outside elements such as downward soil pressure and water. These are caused by heavy maintenance equipment moving over the soil and blackholes created under the soil.
How much does an urn vault cost?
As you know, the cost of cremation is quite expensive and the urn constitutes a small part of the overall expense. The material, style, and size of the container are important factors that play a key role when it comes to pricing an urn vault. In general, an urn vault may cost anywhere between $100 and $400.
Besides, biodegradable containers might cost you from $50 to $350 and even higher. If the urn vault is made of ceramic, the price should be around $100 to $550. Moreover, materials like glass, marble, stone, and metal will have prices of not more than $500. For wood, it could be between $50 and $400.
Is an urn vault necessary?
In most cases, cemeteries require a special kind of sealing on the urn as the only means to protect it from certain soil elements and moisture. Despite that, the cemetery staff will confirm whether or not you need to buy an urn vault.
Besides, if you want to bury the remains of your loved ones without an urn vault, you can ask the same to the concerned authority. They will guide you to the place where you can directly place the asses into the earth.
Although an urn vault has many advantages, it isn’t a necessity in every case. Also, some cemeteries may require biodegradable urns for burial. Depending on the area where you live, you can look out for a natural cemetery as well.
Check out our post on columbaria to learn more about having the urn displayed instead of buried.
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