By Jason Weir, Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer (Michigan), CFSP, Vice President, Hilton Funeral Supply
with Conner Patten, Customer Outreach and Product Specialist, Hilton Funeral Supply

Funeral home equipment repair can be hard to find. General refrigeration and appliance contractors may not work on mortuary coolers, hydraulic embalming tables or crematory lifts. For MOBI Medical equipment, Scimedico offers dedicated repair and maintenance service packages: an annual inspection, a repair services contract and full preventive maintenance. Funeral homes can request service through Scimedico's equipment repair and service request form.

Quick Answer: Where Can a Funeral Home Get Equipment Repaired?

Funeral homes with MOBI Medical equipment can get mortuary cooler, embalming table, body lift, crematory lift, stretcher and church truck repair through Scimedico, the company that services MOBI equipment. For MOBI Medical equipment, Scimedico offers three funeral home maintenance packages: Basic (annual inspection), Standard (repair services contract) and Full (preventive maintenance). Per the MOBI and Scimedico service flyer, all three tiers include reports accessible via Complilab.com. Request repair or choose a package through Scimedico's service request form. A scheduled plan finds problems before a breakdown. Separately, OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requires employers with occupational exposure to examine potentially contaminated equipment before servicing and decontaminate it as necessary.

Start With the Case: What an Equipment Failure Costs a Funeral Home

Consider a Friday evening with three decedents in refrigeration. Two have services scheduled for Monday. One awaits authorization for cremation. The mortuary cooler alarm sounds, and the unit will not hold temperature.

The funeral director now has three problems at once. The first is the condition of the decedents. The second is the families' scheduled services. The third is finding a refrigeration technician who knows mortuary units on a weekend.

Viewing relates to reality, the first of Dr. Alan Wolfelt's six purposes of the funeral. A refrigeration failure can affect case condition, depending on the case and the duration. How much can be corrected is the embalmer's clinical judgment.

The same logic applies to other mortuary equipment. A hydraulic embalming table stuck at one height slows every case in the preparation room. A body lift with a failing battery can return lifting to staff. A church truck with a seized caster becomes a risk in the chapel aisle.

Scheduled funeral home equipment maintenance exists to find these problems on a Tuesday morning instead of a Friday night.

Why Mortuary Equipment Repair Is Hard to Find

Mortuary equipment sits between several trades. A mortuary cooler is commercial refrigeration. An embalming table is hydraulics and plumbing. A crematory lift is a battery-powered lifting machine. A general contractor may handle one of these but not the others.

• Specialized design: Mortuary coolers, roller racks and body trays are built to fit each other, not standard commercial units.
• Parts access: Manufacturer-specific parts can take time to source without an established supplier relationship.
• Contamination concerns: Preparation room equipment may need decontamination before a technician works on it.
• After-hours urgency: A cooler failure with decedents in holding cannot wait for the next open appointment.

A service agreement tied to the equipment manufacturer addresses those gaps in advance. For MOBI Medical equipment, that servicer is Scimedico, per the MOBI and Scimedico flyer. Use Scimedico's repair request form to start a service request.

Funeral Home Equipment Repair Services by Equipment Type

Mortuary Cooler Repair

Mortuary cooler repair commonly involves the compressor, condenser coils, door gaskets, thermostat and temperature alarm. The MOBI and Scimedico packages list refrigeration, including mortuary coolers, as covered equipment. Hilton carries MOBI coolers from the 2 Body Roll In Style Mortuary Cooler to walk-in mortuary coolers.

Embalming Table and Embalming Station Repair

Embalming table repair commonly involves hydraulics, height adjustment and the drain. Embalming station repair commonly involves valves, water lines and fittings. The MOBI and Scimedico packages list both autopsy and embalming tables and embalming stations as covered equipment.

Body Lift, Casket Lift and Crematory Lift Repair

Lift repair commonly involves the battery, motor, lift mechanism and controls. The flyer lists body lifts for cadavers and caskets, plus crematory lifts, as covered equipment. A failed lift can return lifting to staff until the repair is complete.

Stretcher, Church Truck and Rack Repair

Stretcher and church truck repair commonly involves locking mechanisms, wheels and frames. Rack and tray service commonly involves rollers, tier supports and alignment. The flyer lists stretchers, church trucks, cadaver racks, body storage racks and trays as covered equipment.

What to Ask a Mortuary Equipment Repair Provider

These questions apply to any mortuary equipment repair service, not only Scimedico.

• Which equipment brands and models does the provider service?
• Are parts kept on hand, or ordered after diagnosis?
• What is the typical response time, including after hours?
• Does every visit produce a written inspection or repair report?
• Is the repair budget fixed in advance or billed per visit?
• What decontamination does the provider expect before arrival?

Which Funeral Home Equipment Needs Scheduled Service?

The MOBI and Scimedico service flyer lists eight equipment categories covered by its maintenance packages. The table below adds typical components a technician may inspect in each category. Those examples are Hilton's general guidance, not the flyer's. Actual inspection points depend on the model and the manufacturer's service instructions. Confirm coverage for each specific unit.

MOBI Medical Service Packages: Basic, Standard and Full

MOBI Medical builds the equipment, and Scimedico services it. The flyer describes the arrangement as "Mobi-built, Scimedico-serviced." Each package includes everything in the tier below it. Select a package through Scimedico's package selection form.

Basic: Annual Inspection

Best for (Hilton's editorial guidance): A funeral home with newer MOBI equipment and an established local refrigeration or repair vendor.

Why it works: Every unit is inspected once a year. The funeral home receives a written report with repair recommendations. The director then decides how and when to act on each finding.

Standard: Repair Services Contract

Best for (Hilton's editorial guidance): A funeral home that wants a repair budget set in advance and parts on hand.

Why it works: The Standard package adds a predefined parts budget and parts on hand to the annual inspection. MOBI and Scimedico state it is "billed biannually" with a "repair budget ready to use." The flyer does not define the billing interval, so confirm it before signing.

Full: Preventive Maintenance

Best for (Hilton's editorial guidance): High-volume firms, crematories and multi-location operations.

Why it works: The Full package adds annual preventive maintenance visits on all covered equipment. Per the flyer, it combines standard repair coverage with a parts inventory budget.

Why Funeral Homes Choose a Maintenance Package

MOBI and Scimedico list six reasons on the service flyer. These are the companies' own descriptions, not independent findings.

• Affordable: MOBI and Scimedico describe the cost as predictable and annual.
• Reliable inspection: Every covered unit is checked yearly.
• Repair contract: One agreement covers ongoing repairs.
• Parts on hand: MOBI and Scimedico state this means faster fixes and less downtime.
• Proven model: The companies state the model is trusted by medical examiners.
• Made and maintained: The flyer describes the equipment as Mobi-built and Scimedico-serviced.

How to Choose the Right Funeral Home Maintenance Plan

Package selection should follow call volume and equipment age, not the largest available option. A single-location firm with two coolers has different exposure than a crematory running daily. The questions below help match the plan to the facility.

• How many decedents are in refrigeration on a typical day? Higher census raises the cost of a cooler failure.
• Does the firm operate a crematory? A crematory lift failure can delay every scheduled cremation that day.
• How old is the equipment? Older hydraulics, seals and batteries can need more parts.
• Is a qualified local technician available after hours? If not, parts on hand matter more.
• Does the firm need documentation for its own records? Per the flyer, all three tiers include reports accessible via Complilab.com.

The right plan is the one that matches the facility's actual exposure, not the largest tier.

Before the Technician Arrives: OSHA Decontamination Requirements

Equipment repair in a funeral home is not the same as appliance repair. Preparation room equipment may be contaminated with blood or other potentially infectious materials.

Hard mandate: OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, paragraph (d)(2)(xiv), applies to employers with occupational exposure. It requires potentially contaminated equipment to be examined before servicing or shipping. The equipment must be decontaminated as necessary, unless the employer can demonstrate that decontamination is not feasible. In states with an OSHA-approved state plan, the state plan's equivalent rule applies.

Hard mandate: When portions of equipment remain contaminated, OSHA requires a readily observable label stating which portions remain contaminated. An OSHA interpretation letter quotes both provisions in full.

Best practice: Clean and disinfect the embalming table, embalming station, lift platform and trays before the service visit. Note any area that could not be decontaminated. Tell the technician before work begins.

Varies by state: Where a state sets refrigeration or holding requirements for decedents, it does so by statute or board rule, and those rules differ by jurisdiction. Equipment condition is commonly among the things state inspectors review, but inspection specifics vary. Check the rules of the state licensing board where the funeral home operates.

Building Service Continuity Into the Preparation Room

The Hilton Prep Room Readiness Standard is Hilton's own internal framework. It is not a professional or regulatory standard. Its four criteria are Load Integrity, Sanitation Access, Workflow Fit and Service Continuity.

Service Continuity asks one question: can this equipment be repaired quickly when it fails? A maintenance package answers part of that question. A written contingency plan answers the rest. The following are best practices, not legal requirements.

• Keep a dated temperature log for every mortuary cooler.
• Post the service provider's contact information near each cooler and lift.
• Arrange an alternate holding location before an emergency occurs.
• Record model and serial numbers for every unit in one place.
• File each inspection report where any staff member can find it.
• Follow the manufacturer's operating and maintenance instructions for each unit.

Repair or Replace? Signs a Unit Has Reached the End of Service

An inspection report sometimes shows that repair no longer makes sense. The director weighs repair cost, downtime and the age of the unit. The signals below may point toward replacement. The technician's report and the embalmer's judgment come first.

The decision belongs to the funeral director and the embalmer who use the equipment daily. Hilton's role is to explain the options. Related guides cover funeral home body lifts and church truck selection. The full equipment line is in Hilton's mortuary equipment category.

How to Request MOBI Equipment Repair or Maintenance

The fastest way to request MOBI equipment repair or choose a maintenance package is Scimedico's online service request form. Scimedico can also be reached at [email protected] or by call or text at 302-375-7500, per the flyer. Have model numbers, serial numbers and the age of each unit ready. For new or replacement MOBI equipment, browse Hilton's MOBI Medical equipment page or call Hilton Funeral Supply at 1-800-433-8878.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who repairs mortuary coolers and embalming tables?

For MOBI Medical equipment, Scimedico services mortuary coolers, embalming tables and other mortuary equipment, according to the MOBI and Scimedico flyer. Requests go through Scimedico's repair request form. For equipment from other manufacturers, start with that manufacturer's authorized service provider. A commercial refrigeration contractor may also service some coolers. Confirm the provider has worked on mortuary units before scheduling the repair.

Can a general refrigeration contractor repair a mortuary cooler?

A general refrigeration contractor can sometimes repair a mortuary cooler's refrigeration system. Mortuary coolers also include racks, trays, doors and alarms built for holding decedents. A contractor unfamiliar with those components may need more time to diagnose and source parts. The manufacturer's service instructions govern what work is appropriate. Ask about prior mortuary cooler experience before the technician arrives.

Does the Scimedico maintenance program cover equipment from other manufacturers?

The Scimedico maintenance packages are built for MOBI Medical equipment. The service flyer describes the program as "for Mobimedical" and the equipment as Mobi-built and Scimedico-serviced. The flyer does not state whether units from other manufacturers can be added to a contract. A funeral home with mixed equipment should ask about coverage for each unit before choosing a package. List each brand, model and serial number when making that request.

What is Complilab.com and why does it matter?

Complilab.com is the website where, according to the MOBI and Scimedico flyer, service reports are accessible. All three service packages list report access via Complilab.com. Basic inspections include a report with repair recommendations. Keeping those reports gives the funeral home a written history of findings for each unit. That history supports budgeting and replacement planning. Whether a state inspector asks for maintenance records varies by jurisdiction.

How often should a mortuary cooler be serviced?

A mortuary cooler should be serviced at least as often as its manufacturer's instructions specify. The MOBI and Scimedico packages include an annual inspection of every unit. The Full package adds annual preventive maintenance visits. Between visits, staff can watch for frost buildup, worn door gaskets, unusual compressor noise and temperature drift. A daily temperature log can make gradual decline visible before a failure.

Is a funeral home required by law to have an equipment maintenance contract?

Hilton is not aware of any federal rule requiring a funeral home to hold an equipment maintenance contract. A service contract is generally a business decision. OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard does require employers with occupational exposure to examine potentially contaminated equipment before servicing and decontaminate it as necessary. State rules on refrigeration, facilities and holding times vary by jurisdiction. Check the state licensing board's rules for any facility requirements that apply.

What should we do if our cooler fails during a weekend?

Move decedents to an alternate holding arrangement first, then contact the service provider. Arranging that alternate location in advance is a best practice for every funeral home. Record the cooler's temperature and the time the failure was found. Notify any families whose services may be affected. Afterward, request a written service report so the cause is documented and the repair can be tracked.

When does replacing equipment make more sense than repairing it?

Replacement usually makes more sense when the same unit fails repeatedly or no longer fits the facility's volume. Examples include a cooler that cannot hold temperature after repair or a table whose hydraulics leak again. An inspection report with repair recommendations gives the director findings to evaluate. The final call belongs to the funeral director and embalmer, who know the facility's workload and the equipment best.