FLAME CREMATION

Radiant Heart has offered flame cremation since our inception in 2013. We utilize a Therm-tec S-18 — a small crematorium. Therefore we only offer private* flame cremation, and only for pets up to 100 lbs.

Although it is not as eco-friendly as water cremation, flame cremation is still a respectful option, and it is the only way we can provide same-day service for those pet parents who need it.

Radiant Heart’s S-18 is regulated/licensed by Northwest Clean Air Agency (NCAA) and is inspected by NCAA annually.

The S-18 has two primary components — the primary chamber (or refractory) where a pet’s body is placed, and the control stack (the large black stack that extends above the roof). Both the primary chamber and the control stack have their own flame mechanisms which are fueled by natural gas. When we turn on the S-18, the flame in the control stack ignites. Once the air temperature in the control stack reaches 1850 F then the flame for the primary chamber ignites and cremation begins. (When the flame in the primary chamber ignites, the temperature in the control stack begins to drop because the air in the primary chamber is initially much cooler. As the primary chamber warms up, the air temperature in both components level out. The ideal primary chamber running temp is 1450 F and the temperature in the control stack (per NCAA) cannot drop bel0w 1650 F.

The flame in the primary chamber converts a pet’s body, except the bones, into a gas state. This gas is then moved through the control stack where the flu gas is chemically changed by the high heat. Heat vapor and CO2 are released into the atmosphere — never smoke or any smell. Depending on the size of your pet, the flame cremation process can take 1 to 4 hours. When the cremation process is complete and the crematorium is cool, your pet’s cremated remains are carefully removed from the crematorium using special brushes and other tools including a hot ash vacuum. Special attention is given to retriving the steel ID tag. The cremains and ID tag are moved to our grinding station where the cremains are reduced in size via a BB-1 cremulator.  The ground cremains are funnelled into a plastic bag (or directly into a bio-degradable urn).  Using a Dremel tool, we remove any black carbon from the steel ID tag so that the ID number is legible.  The ID tag is then attached to the plastic bag (or urn).

*”Private” as defined by the International Association of Pet Cemeteries and Crematories (IAOPCC) is one pet in the crematorium at one time.