Cremation retort maintenance and Phaneuf renovations

An important aspect of serving our customers is continually updating our facilities and performing maintenance including a cremation retort.

What is a cremation retort? It’s the chamber where the actual cremation of the body of the deceased takes place. Due to the high temperatures used in the retort during the cremation process, maintenance or repairs are sometimes needed.

At Phaneuf, we perform regular, ongoing maintenance for all four of our cremation retorts. We also have each retort inspected annually and maintained  by the retort manufacturer.

There is general wear and tear on the retorts, mainly due to the extreme heat involved in the cremation process. Repairing a cremation retort can be as simple as fixing chips or cracks in the floor with a new layer of concrete, or can involve rebricking areas where bricks are worn or damaged, or even  a complete relining of the retort chamber. The relining costs between $15,000 and $20,000.

Cremation retort maintenance and repairs require planning because if we go from four to three retorts for a period of weeks, arrangements must be made to prevent any disruption in service for our customers.

Renovations to better serve our customers

The Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium location at 243 Hanover St., in Manchester, NH, received significant updates this year, including the installation of a new elevator. Watch this video to see the improvements.

We added a large conference room for families needing a private space to make arrangements. On our main floor, we added a beautiful atrium to bring light into the main lobby. We also painted, wallpapered and  retiled the lobby.

Our goal with these renovations is creating a more comforting environment for the families, friends and loved ones of our customers as they arrive for a service. For those who cannot attend, we offer video streaming services to make the entire experience as accommodating as possible.

We always appreciate feedback, and we have made adjustments in the way we do business based on the thousands of conversations we’ve had with families. Please feel free to reach out with any suggestions or questions.