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.
Iowa City, Iowa Refrigeration Trailer Rentals
If a walk-in cooler or freezer fails in Iowa City, Iowa, you can rent cold storage from HHrefrigeration and have it planned for your address. We rent refrigerated trailers and containers, mobile kitchens, and dishwashing trailers to businesses and institutions in Johnson County.
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County with about 75,678 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 Iowa City and the dates you need.
Iowa City, IA at a glance
Numbers for Iowa City 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 Johnson County, Iowa.
- Population: 75,678 (2023 Census Bureau estimate), number 5 of 20 Iowa places on our list.
- Land area: 26 square miles, about 2,957 people per square mile.
- Elevation: about 656 feet.
- Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County.
- Nearest larger place we list: Cedar Rapids, 23 miles north.
- Other places we list within 50 miles: 2.
How we plan getting a trailer to Iowa City
Every rental in Iowa City starts with the address, not a warehouse. Here is how a request for Iowa City, IA moves from call to cold storage:
- Call or send the form. Tell us the street address in Iowa City, 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 Iowa City include I-80. 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.
- Iowa City is roughly 108 straight-line miles east of Des Moines, Iowa's largest city on our list. A longer trip means we plan routes, weather, and delivery timing with more care, and we confirm both in your quote.
- 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 Iowa City
When cold storage fails in Iowa City, 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 heat wave and other. When summer heat pushes a compressor past its limit, a 12 ft refrigerated trailer or 20 ft refrigerated trailer can take over cold storage while the walk-in is repaired.
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 Iowa City (and the Johnson 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 Iowa City
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.
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is Iowa City's largest employer (about 15,500) and the University of Iowa is second (about 10,300). A large hospital and campus system often has heavy dining and catering needs that depend on refrigeration.
In June 2008 the Iowa River crested at a record 30.46 ft, forcing evacuations and damaging 19 university buildings. Flood damage can often put kitchens and cold storage out of service.
Iowa City hosts the Iowa Arts Festival, Jazz Festival, Mission Creek Festival and Book Festival. Festivals often need mobile kitchens and cold storage.
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.
Other risk in Iowa (Summer (August 10, 2020 event)): The August 10, 2020 derecho crossed Iowa from Sioux City to the Cedar Rapids area, put 57 of Iowa's 99 counties and 14 million acres of crops in its path and caused about $11.2 billion in damage across the Midwest. Widespread wind damage and long power losses can often leave restaurants, grocers and food plants without refrigeration for days.
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 Iowa City
The kinds of operations that rent refrigeration in a city like Iowa City 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.
Iowa City 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: Saturday in the Park (Around July 4); Nordic Fest (July). Large music festivals often need mobile kitchens and cold storage.
Equipment you can rent in Iowa City
Refrigeration is our focus, and Iowa City 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 Iowa City 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 Iowa City
Renting a refrigerated trailer in Iowa City 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 Iowa City 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 Iowa City
Highways and routes tied to Iowa City:
Iowa City sits at about 656 feet above sea level.
Nearby places we also serve: Cedar Rapids (23 miles north), Davenport (48 miles east), Fairfield (50 miles southwest), Independence (59 miles north), Silvis, IL (59 miles east).
- I-80: I-80 runs along the north edge; US 218 and IA 27 bypass the city to the west.
Rental prices for Iowa City 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 Iowa City, setup, servicing, and minimum terms are confirmed in your quote.
More of Iowa and the Midwest
Iowa City 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 Iowa City, 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.
Iowa City rental questions
Do you rent refrigerated trailers in Iowa City, Iowa?
Yes. HHrefrigeration rents refrigerated trailers, refrigerated containers, mobile kitchens, and dishwashing trailers to commercial and industrial customers in Iowa City and Johnson 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 Iowa City is far from a major city?
We plan the delivery from your street address, not from a fixed point on the map. Iowa City is about 108 miles east of Des Moines, so we confirm the route, the final approach, and the timing with you in the quote.
What power does a refrigerated trailer need in Iowa City?
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 Iowa City site before delivery, and send the voltage, phase, and amps with your request.
Who do I contact about food safety rules in Johnson 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 Iowa City 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 Iowa City 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 heat wave 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. Heat wave risk in Iowa is highest June to August.
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.