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.
Tacoma, Washington Walk-In Cooler Trailer Rentals
Rental refrigeration is available in Tacoma, Washington. HHrefrigeration rents refrigerated trailers, refrigerated containers, mobile kitchens, and dishwashing trailers to commercial and industrial customers in Tacoma and across Pierce County.
Tacoma is a city in Pierce County with about 222,906 residents (2023 Census Bureau estimate), and it is the county seat. Customers who rent in a place like this include hospital systems, universities, hotels and convention venues, large grocers, food distributors and processors, and stadium and event operators. 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.
Our phone line, (888) 385-5513, answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If the need is planned, use the quote form below and tell us where in Tacoma the unit will sit.
Tacoma, WA at a glance
Numbers for Tacoma that matter when planning a rental: how big it is, how spread out it is, and how far the next larger place sits.
Severe weather in Washington can change road conditions quickly, so confirm your site access the day before delivery and keep our number handy.
- Place: city in Pierce County, Washington.
- Population: 222,906 (2023 Census Bureau estimate), number 3 of 20 Washington places on our list.
- Land area: 50 square miles, about 4,484 people per square mile.
- Elevation: about 381 feet.
- Tacoma is the county seat of Pierce County.
- Nearest larger place we list: Seattle, 26 miles north.
- Other places we list within 50 miles: 3.
How we plan getting a trailer to Tacoma
Every rental in Tacoma starts with the address, not a warehouse. Here is how a request for Tacoma, WA moves from call to cold storage:
- Call or send the form. Tell us the street address in Tacoma, 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 Tacoma include I-5. 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.
- Tacoma is about 26 miles south of Seattle, Washington's largest city on our list. We plan the trip around that distance and the roads between, then confirm timing 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 Tacoma
Emergency support for Tacoma runs through one number, (888) 385-5513, answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Have these details ready:
In Washington, calls like this often follow wildfire and flood. If evacuations or shutoffs close a kitchen, a mobile kitchen rental and a refrigerated container can keep feeding crews and residents.
For official emergency information in Washington, see Washington Military Department, Emergency Management Division. We are not an emergency agency; for danger to life, call 911.
- The address in Tacoma (and the Pierce 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 Tacoma
Western Washington has a mild, Mediterranean-style climate with wet winters and relatively dry summers, while eastern Washington sits in the Cascades rain shadow with semiarid summers that can turn very hot and colder, snowier winters. The June 2021 heat wave set an all-time state record of 120 F at Hanford, and cold interior towns such as Colville have seen lows near minus 29 F. The hottest stretch runs july to September, and the coldest december to February. Both extremes put stress on commercial refrigeration in Tacoma.
The Port of Tacoma on Commencement Bay is Washington's largest port and a major Pacific Coast trade hub. Importers and cold chain operators near the port can need temporary refrigerated trailers or containers during surges.
Tacoma's top employers in a 2020 report included Joint Base Lewis-McChord (about 54,000), MultiCare Health System (8,264), the State of Washington (7,859) and CHI Franciscan Health (5,682). Hospitals and military dining facilities run large kitchens that can need temporary kitchen or dishwashing capacity.
A Mount Rainier eruption could send a lahar down the Puyallup River, putting low-lying areas near the port at risk. Volcanic or flood events near the port could disrupt cold storage and power.
Wildfire risk in Washington (July to October): The 2020 season burned about 842,000 acres in Washington, with 80 fires and nearly 300,000 acres burned on September 7 alone; the 2015 Okanogan Complex burned about 305,000 acres in Okanogan County. Large fires force evacuations and business closures, and crews and evacuees often need temporary kitchens and cold storage.
Flood risk in Washington (November to January): In December 2007 the Chehalis River flooded a 20-mile stretch of I-5 under as much as 10 to 15 feet of water, and a major flood in January 2009 again submerged parts of Chehalis and shut I-5. River floods can close roads for days, cut off deliveries of refrigerated goods and damage ground-floor kitchens, which can create a need for temporary cold storage.
During the December 2007 storms, nearly all of Grays Harbor County lost electric service after a Bonneville Power Administration transmission tower was destroyed by high winds, and about 75,000 Washington customers lost power at the peak. Outages tied to transmission damage can last for days in coastal and rural counties, creating a need for backup cold storage.
Food service and business in Tacoma
The kinds of operations that rent refrigeration in a city like Tacoma are hospital systems, universities, hotels and convention venues, large grocers, food distributors and processors, and stadium and event operators.
Washington has led the nation in apple production since the 1920s (about 58 percent of U.S. apples in 2004), mostly from the Yakima and Wenatchee valleys, and also led in sweet cherries and hops. Fruit packing and storage create sharp seasonal peaks that often exceed permanent cold storage capacity.
Washington ranks third in U.S. wine production, with more than 55,000 acres of vineyards and over 940 wineries as of 2017, and ranks second nationally in fall potato production. Wineries and potato processors depend on temperature-controlled storage and can need temporary capacity at harvest.
Tacoma 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 Washington: Washington State Fair (Late August through September); Seafair (Mid-June through early August). A large multi-week fair with food vendors can create demand for temporary refrigeration, kitchens and warewashing.
Equipment you can rent in Tacoma
Refrigeration is our focus, and Tacoma customers rent the same four units as the rest of Washington:
Many Tacoma requests pair cold storage with a mobile kitchen rental or a dishwashing trailer rental, so a facility can cook, serve, and clean up during a repair or renovation.
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 Tacoma
Renting a refrigerated trailer in Tacoma is simple, but a few items decide whether it runs smoothly on the first day.
Public Health - Seattle & King County lists separate temporary food business and mobile food business permit pages, and Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department lists Temporary Events, Mobile Food Units and food establishment plan review pages with a plan review phone line. Temporary food service and mobile units are permitted by the local health agency, and plan review may apply to new or modified setups.
The Department of Health has a pending food truck rule revision covering distance to employee restrooms, alongside a Retail Food Code revision. Mobile unit layout and restroom access rules may change, so operators of mobile kitchens should check current requirements.
- 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 Tacoma 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 Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (food 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 Tacoma
Highways and routes tied to Tacoma:
Tacoma sits at about 381 feet above sea level.
Nearby places we also serve: Seattle (26 miles north), Bellevue (28 miles northeast), Chehalis (47 miles southwest), Sequim (64 miles northwest), Stanwood (69 miles north).
- I-5: I-5 uses collector-distributor lanes through central Tacoma, where SR 16 ends and I-705 serves downtown.
Rental prices for Tacoma 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 Tacoma, setup, servicing, and minimum terms are confirmed in your quote.
More of Washington and the Pacific
Tacoma is one of the places we list in Washington, and Washington is part of our Pacific service area. Browse the Washington 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 Tacoma, WA.
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.
Tacoma rental questions
Do you rent refrigerated trailers in Tacoma, Washington?
Yes. HHrefrigeration rents refrigerated trailers, refrigerated containers, mobile kitchens, and dishwashing trailers to commercial and industrial customers in Tacoma and Pierce 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 Tacoma is outside the main city?
We plan the delivery from your street address, not from a fixed point on the map. Tacoma is about 26 miles south of Seattle, so we confirm the route, the final approach, and the timing with you in the quote.
What power does a refrigerated trailer need in Tacoma?
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 Tacoma site before delivery, and send the voltage, phase, and amps with your request.
Who do I contact about food safety rules in Pierce County?
Start with Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (food safety) (https://www.tpchd.org/healthy-places/food-safety). 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 Tacoma 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 Tacoma 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 wildfire season in Washington?
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. Wildfire risk in Washington is highest July to October.
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.