12 ft Refrigerated Trailer
Starting from $1,895 / month
The smallest trailer in the lineup. It fits tight lots and loading areas when a small walk-in cooler or freezer goes down.
Des Moines, Iowa Walk-In Cooler Trailer Rentals
Des Moines is a regional center in Polk County and Warren County, and HHrefrigeration serves it with refrigeration trailer rentals, mobile kitchen rentals, and dishwashing trailers. Service is nationwide, which means Des Moines is covered from your first call.
Des Moines is a city in Polk County and Warren County with about 210,381 residents (2023 Census Bureau estimate), and it is the county seat. Customers who rent in a place like this include health systems, school districts and campuses, hotel and banquet kitchens, grocery chains, cold-storage and distribution operators, and large events. Rent for a few days to cover a repair, or lease for months through a renovation, a harvest, a construction project, or a seasonal peak.
Emergency? Call (888) 385-5513, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For planned work, send the quote form below with the address in Des Moines and the dates you need.
Des Moines, IA at a glance
Numbers for Des Moines that matter when planning a rental: how big it is, how spread out it is, and how far the next larger place sits.
Winter storms in Iowa (November to March) can slow or close roads, so tell us your start date early and we plan the trip with the forecast in mind.
- Place: city in Polk County and Warren County, Iowa.
- Population: 210,381 (2023 Census Bureau estimate), number 1 of 20 Iowa places on our list.
- Land area: 88 square miles, about 2,386 people per square mile.
- Elevation: about 794 feet.
- Des Moines is the county seat of Polk County.
- Nearest larger place we list: Omaha, NE, 128 miles west.
- Other places we list within 50 miles: 4.
How we plan getting a trailer to Des Moines
Every rental in Des Moines starts with the address, not a warehouse. Here is how a request for Des Moines, IA moves from call to cold storage:
- Call or send the form. Tell us the street address in Des Moines, what failed or what you are planning, and the temperature you need. Emergencies go to (888) 385-5513.
- We match the unit. A 12 ft refrigerated trailer suits tight lots and small kitchens, a 20 ft trailer holds more, and a refrigerated container is for bulk storage over longer jobs.
- Roads that serve Des Moines include I-235. We confirm which approach suits a trailer, how the truck turns onto your site, and whether anything on the last few blocks is posted or restricted.
- Des Moines is the largest city we list in Iowa, so most requests here are about dock access, narrow lots, and timing around business hours rather than long road miles.
- We confirm power and placement. The 20 ft trailers list 220V, single phase, 40 to 60 amps with a NEMA plug, so have an electrician confirm your service. Pick a firm, level spot with room for the door to open and for the truck to reach it.
- Delivery and setup. On site, setup takes about 1 hour for a refrigeration unit, plus 4 to 6 hours if a ramp is needed or 5 to 15 minutes for stairs. Delivery timing, servicing, and minimum terms are written into your quote, and an inquiry does not reserve equipment.
Emergency refrigeration support in Des Moines
When cold storage fails in Des Moines, speed of information matters most. Call (888) 385-5513 any hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and tell us:
In Iowa, calls like this often follow winter storm and heat wave. When an outage runs long, a 20 ft refrigerated trailer rental gives a kitchen, grocer, or care facility cold space to move product into while the building recovers.
For official emergency information in Iowa, see Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM). We are not an emergency agency; for danger to life, call 911.
- The address in Des Moines (and the Polk County location if it is outside town limits).
- What failed: a walk-in cooler, a freezer, a compressor, or the power itself.
- How much product is at risk, and whether it must stay at 32°F (cooler) or near -5°F (freezer).
- The power available at the site and whether a truck can reach the spot.
- Keep doors closed until the unit arrives so the product holds its temperature as long as possible.
What drives cold-storage demand around Des Moines
Iowa has a humid continental climate with hot, humid summers (highs often near 90 F and sometimes above 100 F) and cold winters that can fall well below zero. Des Moines normals run about 31/14 F in January and 86/67 F in July. Processors, distributors, school districts, and hospital systems commonly need added cold storage during repairs and seasonal peaks.
Des Moines is a major insurance center, home to Principal Financial Group and Wellmark, with Wells Fargo (13,500) and UnityPoint Health (8,026) among top employers in 2021. Large corporate and healthcare employers often have catering and dining needs that depend on commercial refrigeration.
The Iowa State Fair, an 11-day August event, is held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines and drew a record 1,218,834 visitors in 2026. Fair vendors and caterers often need temporary cold storage, mobile kitchens and warewashing.
The Great Flood of 1993 submerged the Des Moines Water Works, leaving about 250,000 people without running water for 12 days, and a levee breach caused flooding again in June 2008. Flooding and loss of water service can often shut down kitchens and warewashing.
Winter storm risk in Iowa (November to March): Iowa's record low is -47 F at Washta in 1912, and winters can fall well below freezing. Extreme cold and snow can often disrupt power and deliveries to food businesses.
Heat wave risk in Iowa (June to August): Iowa's record high is 118 F at Keokuk on July 20, 1934, and summer highs often reach near 90 F. Extreme heat can often overload coolers and walk-in refrigeration.
After the derecho, Cedar Rapids peaked at about 98 percent power loss and about 40,000 residents were still without power a week later. Prolonged outages can often create demand for temporary cold storage and cooking capacity.
Food service and business in Des Moines
The kinds of operations that rent refrigeration in a city like Des Moines are health systems, school districts and campuses, hotel and banquet kitchens, grocery chains, cold-storage and distribution operators, and large events.
Sioux County had the state's largest cattle inventory (375,000 head in January 2024) and ranked second in hogs marketed (about 3.8 million in 2022). Livestock and meat supply chains depend on cold storage and refrigerated transport.
Grain processing is the most important sector in Cedar Rapids with about 4,000 direct jobs, including Quaker Oats, Cargill, ADM and General Mills operations. Food processors often need added cold storage during peak production or after outages.
Des Moines customers use refrigeration trailers in three common ways: as emergency cover for a failed walk-in, as extra capacity during a peak (a harvest, a festival, a holiday week), and as temporary cold storage during a renovation. See rental prices for what each unit costs, or how to plan your site before delivery.
Demand also rises around events in Iowa: Surf Ballroom tribute (February); Iowa State Fair (August). Winter events can raise short-term catering demand when cold weather limits options.
Equipment you can rent in Des Moines
Refrigeration is our focus, and Des Moines customers rent the same four units as the rest of Iowa:
If the kitchen itself is down, add a mobile kitchen and a dishwashing trailer so Des Moines operators can keep serving while cold storage is covered.
20 ft Refrigerated Trailer
Starting from $1,895 / month
The workhorse. A 20 ft trailer comes as a 32°F cooler or as a low-temperature freezer configuration, so you can match what failed.
20 ft Refrigerated Container
Starting from $2,995 / month
A stationary cold storage box for bulk product, built for longer projects, seasonal peaks, and renovations.
40 ft Refrigerated Container
Starting from $3,995 / month
The largest cold storage option. It takes pallets and bulk product for food distribution, disaster response, and large facilities.
Requirements for renting a refrigerated trailer in Des Moines
Renting a refrigerated trailer in Des Moines is simple, but a few items decide whether it runs smoothly on the first day.
DIAL licenses food businesses such as restaurants, bars, food trucks, farmers markets and stores, and applications are submitted online through the SAFHER portal. A business adding a temporary kitchen should confirm its license status with DIAL first.
DIAL licenses temporary food establishments, with several license types depending on the event, such as fairs, festivals or craft shows. Event caterers using temporary kitchens or mobile units can often need a temporary license.
- Customer type: commercial or industrial only (restaurants, grocers, healthcare, schools, hospitality, distributors, government). We do not rent to residential customers.
- Power: 220V, single phase, 40 to 60 amps for the 20 ft trailers, with a NEMA plug. Ask your electrician to confirm the circuit at your Des Moines site before delivery.
- Placement: a firm, level surface with room for the trailer, its door swing, and the delivery truck. Soft ground, steep slopes, and overhead lines are the usual problems.
- Access: send the gate or door width, any low clearances, and the best approach into the property.
- Permission: if you rent the property, get the owner or manager's approval to place a trailer. For food-safety questions, contact Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL), Food and Consumer Safety.
- Paperwork: your quote lists the unit, the rental length, delivery, setup, servicing, and minimum terms. An inquiry does not reserve equipment.
Roads, routes, and access around Des Moines
Highways and routes tied to Des Moines:
Des Moines sits at about 794 feet above sea level.
- I-235: I-235 loops through Des Moines linking I-35 and I-80.
Rental prices for Des Moines at a glance
Rates are the same nationwide. Rentals start from $1,895 / month for a 12 ft trailer, and the price sheet prints a separate rate for 1-6 days, 8-14 days, 15 days to 1 month, and more than 3 months. See every rate. Delivery to Des Moines, setup, servicing, and minimum terms are confirmed in your quote.
More of Iowa and the Midwest
Des Moines is one of the places we list in Iowa, and Iowa is part of our Midwest service area. Browse the Iowa service area for every city page in the state, or the full service-area map.
Rental terms at a glance
Rentals run by the week or by the month, with short-term and long-term options, and we answer calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Setup on site takes about 1 hour for a refrigeration unit and about 5 hours for a kitchen or dishwashing trailer; a ramp adds 4 to 6 hours and stairs add 5 to 15 minutes. GPS tracking is possible on request. Delivery, setup, servicing, and minimum terms are confirmed in your quote, and an inquiry does not reserve equipment.
Cold storage down? Call now.
Emergency refrigeration rentals in Des Moines, IA.
If a walk-in cooler or freezer has stopped holding temperature, call now. Tell us your city and state, what failed, how much product is at risk, and what power is on site. Keep doors closed to hold the cold while we work out the right trailer or container for you.
Des Moines rental questions
Do you rent refrigerated trailers in Des Moines, Iowa?
Yes. HHrefrigeration rents refrigerated trailers, refrigerated containers, mobile kitchens, and dishwashing trailers to commercial and industrial customers in Des Moines and Polk County. Call (888) 385-5513 or send the quote form with your address. An inquiry does not reserve equipment; availability, delivery, and terms are confirmed in your quote.
How do I get a trailer if Des Moines is busy and tight on space?
Tell us about the dock, lot, or alley where the unit will sit, including any width limits, and we plan the approach to fit. Setup on site takes about 1 hour for a refrigeration unit.
What power does a refrigerated trailer need in Des Moines?
The 20 ft refrigerated trailers list 220V, single phase, 40 to 60 amps, with a NEMA plug. Have a licensed electrician confirm your service at the Des Moines site before delivery, and send the voltage, phase, and amps with your request.
Who do I contact about food safety rules in Polk County?
Start with Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL), Food and Consumer Safety (https://dial.iowa.gov/licenses/food-establishments-hotels). Rules vary by jurisdiction, so check with them before you place temporary refrigeration or a temporary kitchen.
Can I rent a mobile kitchen or dishwashing trailer in Des Moines too?
Yes. When a kitchen is down, we rent mobile kitchens from 24 ft to 40 ft and dishwashing trailers from 22 ft to 38 ft. Many Des Moines customers pair them with a refrigerated trailer so they can cook, serve, and clean up while permanent equipment is repaired.
What should I do before winter storm season in Iowa?
Know your site's power and placement details, keep our number ((888) 385-5513) handy, and call early if a forecast puts your walk-in at risk. Winter storm risk in Iowa is highest November to March.
Sources for local facts
Sources
Local facts on this page come from public sources. Population is the Census Bureau's 2023 estimate.
What to send for a fast quote
- The city and state where the unit will sit
- What failed and how much product is at risk
- Cooler (32°F) or freezer temperature needed
- Power available at the site: voltage, phase, and amps
- Access: gate or door width, surface, and where the unit will be placed
- How long you expect to need it
Prefer to talk? Call (888) 385-5513 any time.