Am I required to use a burial vault? If so, who requires it?
In nearly 90% of cemeteries today, use of a burial vault or outer container is required by the cemetery, although it is not required by state or federal statute. For the cemetery, the protection of a burial vault eliminates the expensive practice of filling in sinking graves.
Why do I need a burial vault?
The function of a burial vault is to protect the casketed body from the earth's elements and also from the great weight and impact of heavy cemetery maintenance equipment passing over the grave. The concrete burial vault is one of the strongest, most lasting means of protection.
What is the difference between a burial vault and a grave liner?
A concrete grave liner merely supports the weight of the ground over the grave. A concrete burial vault is a lined and sealed burial receptacle which performs all the functions of the concrete grave liner, and in addition is designed and constructed using one or more lining and sealing materials to increase the overall tensile strength of the finished unit and to reduce the risk of the intrusion of exterior elements.
No one will see the burial vault at the committal service, will they?
If you are in an area that uses above-ground sealing, the burial vault most definitely will be seen at the committal service. In an area without above-ground sealing, the cover of the burial vault will be seen at the grave. Families need to consider that the committal service becomes a snapshot of the final closure, and the burial vault is certainly the focal point in that aspect of the funeral process.
I purchased a sealer casket. Why do I now need a sealed burial vault?
It is important to understand that even a sealer casket is not designed to withstand the great weights that pass over the grave. If you purchase a protective (sealer) casket, it deserves the extra measure of protection afforded by a protective (sealed) burial vault.
Copyright Acknowledgement to Lake Shore Burial Vault and Wilbert Burial Vault