History | Holt Plumbing & Heating, Des Moines

History of Holt Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

Home / About Holt Plumbing & Heating, Inc. / History of Holt Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

Excellence has been our hallmark since 1947

Holt Plumbing & Heating was founded by John F. Holt and his wife Edith in 1947. John was a skilled sheet metal worker and welder who honed his skills building B-26 and B-29 airplanes at the Martin Bomber plant in Omaha, Nebraska during World War II. Edith, who also taught elementary school for many years, served as secretary and bookkeeper for the business.

After the war, they came back to the family farm south of Afton, Iowa. John continued to put his metal working skills to use, repairing machinery for neighboring farmers. This led to plumbing work and eventually heating, cooling and even appliance sales.

1959, John and Edith officially opened John F. Holt Plumbing & Heating in Afton. In the mid-1970s, their son Lynn, who had been working in the plumbing industry in Des Moines, came back to join them in the family business. In 1977, Lynn and his wife Dixie opened a second location in Winterset that quickly grew to service Des Moines and its surrounding areas. And in 2012, they moved their headquarters to 245 Railroad in Valley Junction. Holt’s business is truly a family affair. Lynn and Dixie’s two children, Ben and Amanda, and Amanda’s husband Josh, work in the business as well.
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  Plumbing
  
  Whether it’s busted pipes, leaky faucets, water heaters, or water conditioners, we’ve got you covered. Our technicians are experienced, tech-savvy, and disarmingly charming.
  
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  Heating
  
  We work to combine energy efficiency, safety and comfort so that you can stay toasty in the winter and still have money left for presents.
  
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  Cooling
  
  You won’t even have to sweat the big stuff after we optimize your air conditioning. Our state of the art products and practices will have you spending sticky days in cucumber-like comfort.
  
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  We’ve seen a lot of homes in 70+ years and we’ve seen our share of small home projects that just never seem to get done
  
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- Review
  
  By far the best plumber in Des Moines Iowa. Great follow up communications. Ethical and reliable and their prices beat any other plumber I have used over the years. Brian is great to work with- as well as Deb and Shane. Highly recommend AM/PM plumbing to anyone in need of plumbing repairs.
  
  Elise R.

Dawn LaRue

15:29 29 Dec 21

My technician called before my scheduled repair to see if he could come sooner because he was ahead of schedule. He parked on the street and when I told him he could have parked in the driveway, he explained his truck had a little leak and he didn’t want to get anything in my driveway, he anticipated my water heater problem and had the part with him when he showed up at the door, and he had it completed in less that 20 minutes. He was professional, friendly, fast and neat (he put in booties over his shoes when he entered the house). Five star service for sure.

Julie Walker

18:18 28 Dec 21

Brian Williams

17:37 28 Dec 21

David Zipf

21:20 24 Dec 21

Rich McKinney

20:59 23 Dec 21

Professional, did job well, in a timely fashion, overall pleased with service.

Jared Jablonski

23:08 22 Dec 21

Our service tech arrived on time. He quickly wrote an estimate and got right to work. We were quite pleased with the efficient installation of a new garbage disposal and faucet repair. As in past experience with Holt service people, the tech provided quality work and cleaned up the area when finished. I recommend Holt for heating and plumbing service.

Patricia L Dornacker

20:00 22 Dec 21

Chris Mortimore

22:30 10 Dec 21

Have been using Holt consistently for last couple of years. I had a couple of bad experiences with other companies prior to coming to Holt. Needless to say, since I’ve been using Holt I’ve been extremely satisfied from both a customer service and quality of service standpoint. Highly recommend.

Josh Hansen

17:30 10 Dec 21

Ron Kennebeck

17:27 10 Dec 21

Garette Williams is a great technician and worked overtime to identified a dangerous situation in our house. Thank you, Garette!

Margaret Stuart

16:44 09 Dec 21

The tech was great, would like to have the same person come out in the spring.

Shannon Morrow

16:17 09 Dec 21

I noticed on Sunday that the top of my water heater was getting rusty and found it to be strange so I googled it. Turns out it was not venting properly and letting the dangerous gasses in my house. I have always installed my own but wanted a professional this time due to the problem. I called Holt on a Monday afternoon and they came out Tuesday morning. I got a quote that I felt was very fair, with zero pressure, to do the job and I was scheduled for Wednesday morning. Installers showed up at 8:30 am, on time, and put down drop cloths from my front door all the way down to the water heater. Since the new installation required a power vent, a new pipe had to be ran across the room and out the wall. By 12:30 the new water heater was running and they cleaned up everything exceptionally. You would never know that they were ever there. The guys were very polite, knowledgeable, clean cut and did a perfect job with a lot of attention to detail. I am so glad I made the call. Most professional contractor I have used in 20 years.

Rob Martinson

06:02 09 Dec 21

Prompt (actually early!), professional, personable, efficient and effective!

Teresa David

21:33 08 Dec 21

James is the man. He is perfect for the Holt brand and customers at the same time.

Edward Couto

20:03 08 Dec 21

Israel came out on a Sunday afternoon to replace my kitchen faucet. Beware when they talk about their pricing and using their materials so you get a warranty on the work. They were going to charge me $112.00 EACH for on/off water handles that needed replacing under my sink. I saved myself $200 by driving 1 mile to Menards and purchasing my own for $18. Also they should subtract their $99 trip fee when you agree for them to do the work. That’s what Golden Rule Plumbing does. Probably won’t ever use HOLT again

Diane Sexton

08:56 08 Dec 21

Matthew was very friendly and knowledgeable. He showed me the improvements made to help prevent the pipes from cracking again. I was also very impressed with the maintenance membership. Thank you!

Jackie Craig

15:57 30 Nov 21

George Riley

20:20 18 Nov 21

Dave and Luke did a great job installing our new hot water heater!! Holt plumbing is a great company to use for plumbing and heating. They are very efficient. I have never had any problems with them as I can always have them check our air conditioner and furnace when I need them to. I would recommend them to my family and friends.

Tricia Paliswiat

17:17 18 Nov 21

James did an amazing job, as usual. He’s been out a few times and is very professional and respectful. James has a lot of knowledge based on experience and common sense. We’ve been using this company for several years now and do not regret it.

Todd Cox

17:02 18 Nov 21

The service was good, friendly, and professional, but the cost was outrageous. It took the service guy 20 minutes to reset my toilet because it had a sewer smell the previous week and didn't seem to be seated properly. This 20 minutes of work cost me $400. Insane. I'd recommend to at least get a few quotes before using their services.

Matt B

22:30 15 Nov 21

Dolores Hartquist

22:01 12 Nov 21

James did a 5 star job maintaining our furnace.

Kylon Schmitt

21:30 12 Nov 21

Holt was top flight from start to finish. Very professional crew that worked well as a team. I would highly recommend Holt.

Bruce Coonan

21:28 12 Nov 21

David Pettorini

15:34 04 Nov 21

Very professional, respectful and informative.

Suzanne Wills

15:16 04 Nov 21

Ben M did a great job on 11-03-21 at our home.I have good experience with Holt on previous times as well

Richard Cook

15:12 04 Nov 21

Trent is a fabulous provider of services we received from Holt Plumbing. He is always going to be our 'go to' guy. We've been with Holt for years and participate in their annual maintenance program, a great value that practically pays for itself!

Stephen Henry

18:30 02 Nov 21

Christy Nelson

18:26 02 Nov 21

Carlene Hohl

17:42 02 Nov 21

Jody Bowlsby

17:10 02 Nov 21

Roxanne Ludwig

Andy Heuer

21:27 25 Oct 21

We had a leak from our upstairs bathroom for about 10 years, we got it to stop for several years, but it would start leaking again. Our house is over 100 years old, so I knew it was not a easy job. Trent came out looked at it and knew what had to be done. Came back. Put in 7 joints. to get to a toilet. Wow what a great job.

Chuck Spitler

23:42 18 Oct 21

We had never heard of Holt Heating and Plumbing until today. We had an emergency and needed service immediately and Holt was available. Israel was our technician and he was amazing! They will have our business for years to come! Thanks Israel and Holt!

Rhonda Reynolds

21:38 11 Oct 21

Patty Konecny

17:01 23 Sep 21

Gerard Amadeo

15:30 22 Sep 21

John Swanson

17:09 21 Sep 21

Ben is always great to have as our technician. He is always friendly, thorough, and does a great job.

Denny Carney

18:55 16 Sep 21

I called in the morning and they sent someone that afternoon, by the time I had guests that evening my house was nice and cool again! So thankful for the quick response and friendly customer service.

Shaly Moyal

20:26 14 Sep 21

Marlin Hernandez

20:15 14 Sep 21

Matt did a great job and was a very professional gentleman

Don Geiger

16:45 01 Sep 21

James just completed our furnace check. On time, neat, and efficient. For this not mechanically-inclined person, he succinctly explained why humidifier is not as efficient as should be. Suggested work around. Holt has done other work with which we were completely satisfied.

Virginia Darcy

00:09 01 Sep 21

Nick came yesterday on an emergency call to fix my refrigerator water line so my new refrigerator could be delivered and connected. When they came to deliver the new refrigerator there was no connector for the new line. Holt got someone over within an hour and a half to fix the situation. They always do a great job snd are very professional and make sure things are done right!Dave installed 3 new toilets for us today and was very helpful in resolving some unexpected issues that arose. Everything was completed perfectly and in s good amount of time. Matt was also here to help him and they both did a great job and left with everything in good order!We have used Holt for plumbing and heating a/c for several years and have always been very pleased with the products and the service. Their staff are always efficient, knowledgeable and respectful of our home. Thank you! Tyler was here today and did a great job servicing our furnace and humidifier. Always a great job by Holt!Brad provided our service today and was very thorough cleaning both the furnace and humidifier. He was very professional and efficient. Always a great job by Holt employees!Zack came today to try to figure out what our hot water dispenser is not working. This has been a problem since it was installed and although I’m not happy with no resolution, Zack has worked very hard over multiple visits to try and figure it out!

Debra Spaeth

20:36 31 Aug 21

Holt heating and air conditioning installed our heating and air conditioning system and now we have the maintenance program with them. All the different people we'd have had out to do the semi annual maintenance have been courteous and professional in there attire and speaking to us. I would use them for other services in a heartbeat.

Pam Sanders

15:29 27 Aug 21

Stephanie Goods

14:47 27 Aug 21

This team is the best in DSM...took a few hrs and house was cooling again. At 90 plus degrees outside we were in panic mode...

Lamont Coon

23:03 26 Aug 21

Checkup seemed good I received no sheet with comments and test results to sign as usual, but work seemed ok. thank you Roger Shepard.

Jerrod Silliman

15:20 25 Aug 21

Nick was awesome needed the AC fixed ASAP and he was here within a couple of hours! His knowledge and ingenuity got the job done so we had our house back to being cool!

Barbara Thomsen

15:10 25 Aug 21

Caonashi 78

14:47 25 Aug 21

Mary Stimmel

15:04 19 Aug 21

David Primeau

14:54 19 Aug 21

Tyler showed up right on time and, as usual, did an excellent job. I've used Holt for all of my plumbing issues for many years and never had a problem.

J C

14:52 19 Aug 21

Heather

14:31 19 Aug 21

Keith Lippincott

16:51 17 Aug 21

Ben did an excellent job! He is very professional and knowledgeable. He answered all my questions. I am very happy with his work.

Chris R

22:54 13 Aug 21

Great company!!! Excellent employees. Some prices are a little bit higher. All the employees that come to the house to maintenance are furnace and ac are great!!

Denise Manon

21:37 13 Aug 21

Terry Knight

15:26 13 Aug 21

I have Holt on the yearly plan. They check out HVAC ~ October and April. Yesterday I had my AC fail with temps expected to reach into high 90's all week. Nick Malloy had us up and running with cool air by 4:00. Very professional, friendly, and patient. A fine young man. Prior experience with Travis was same. Also had Mark do some remodeling and deck work. All are outstanding and represent themselves and Holt very well.*****/ ***** recommendationI had Holt Plumbing and Adam service also and rec'd same professional service, with a smile.Dan swoyer MD

Dan Swoyer

17:35 11 Aug 21

Joe Kristan

13:07 10 Aug 21

Daniel Jones

20:42 09 Aug 21

The service was great! Holt was communicative and the plumbers were able to come out a day earlier than anticipated. They were fast & efficient.

Lisa Lloyd

19:20 09 Aug 21

Big Moe

19:10 09 Aug 21

EXCELLENT SERVICE!! Garrette did a FANTASTIC JOB!!

Rickie Warren

22:08 05 Aug 21

He was here on time was very courteous did his job told us that our air conditioner was doing wonderful for 10 years old it was an excellent shape and was just very nice

Sandra Metzger

17:15 05 Aug 21

Very thorough and excellent service.

Stephanie Jackman

15:06 05 Aug 21

The people at Holt are always very prompt, very professional, and they do great work.

Joe Hayes

15:01 05 Aug 21

Exceptionally good plumbing service and friendly technicians. Explained clearly the repair needed for my bathroom faucet.

Richard Schulze

21:36 03 Aug 21

Holt's services have always been performed competently and efficiently. They are my "go to" shop for plumbing and HVAC services. I highly recommend them.

11:44 03 Aug 21

Good work

Peter Woltz

20:58 28 Jul 21

* I haven’t yet made up my mind about which vendor we’ll use.Rob was very professional, courteous, patient, & pwell-informed: knew his stuff.Food for thought: One item where Rob seemed uncomfortable/hesitant was in response to one particular question: from which other HVAC companies he or Holt recommended I compare pricing. I definitely understand his hesitation (He said he had never heard that question before). From my standpoint it would be mutually beneficial for Holt to have this information at the ready in the event the customer asks for other bids from other reputable Central Iowa HVAC dealers/service providers: if the other shops’ bids come in much lower than Holt, I’d (from my standpoint at least) be wary of the lowball shop—hard to form trust in this instance. On the other hand, if the other bids come in higher than Holt’s, my (again just me here) inference would be that Holt is the better value: not only is the pricing most competitive, but I’d know that Holt is a top echelon HVAC provider and I’d be getting great service, expertise, and longevity.

Benjamin Clark

16:42 28 Jul 21

Great customer service from Justin. Very knowledgeable about my issue.

Michael Nieland

16:08 28 Jul 21

Nick came out on a really COLD day to check out a concern that I had for the furnace. Everything is fine! (Glad to say that!) He is articulate, smart, and explained everything. The furnace does NOT have a problem. Additionally, he explained how to regulate the humidity in my condo as a ratio of outside temperature to condo interior temperature. I learned how to affect a liveable condo environment during the winter and avoid interior moisture build up on oversized windows. (WOW! I really appreciated the information.) . Holt technicians are well educated!!!

Brena Corona

15:47 28 Jul 21

Travis Hutzell

15:22 28 Jul 21

James with Holt was professional and thorough! I was very pleased with this maintenance call.

MaryAnn Moore

14:56 28 Jul 21

Holt Plumbing & Heating takes care of it's customers. They are a good company to do business with.

Angela Kesslar

14:06 26 Jul 21

Good job as usual. Matt was on time, did a through job, was polite, took care with our property, etc.

Alexander Kleiner

21:04 22 Jul 21

Holt Plumbing came out when they said. The technician was friendly, courteous, and very knowledgeable. He walked me through the kinds of things that cause the AC to freeze up and how he handles it. He was awesome!

Steven Nelson

14:41 22 Jul 21

James Culbert

15:57 21 Jul 21

Michael & Marcia Benson

01:26 21 Jul 21

Matt was early, communicated with me through the process. Resolved three different issues contributing to the problem and got it all done quickly. All for just the cost of the service fee. Thanks

Michelle Herring

16:25 20 Jul 21

Ann Benetti

15:40 20 Jul 21

Jo dee Stewart

02:44 17 Jul 21

Very professional and Conscientious - checks everything - . Great job!

Darwin Simon

16:38 16 Jul 21

I have been a customer of Holt's for 3 years. They perform bi-annual maintenance on our geothermal unit, and have replaced our water heater. We have found all their technicians friendly and knowledgeable. I highly recommend them!!

Chandra Wimberly

21:09 15 Jul 21

Kept me informed of what he was finding. Good explanations about the problem and hat it would take to fix it. Very friendly and professional.

Kris Bush

19:06 15 Jul 21

Robin Stonehocker

14:30 15 Jul 21

Nick was great- on time, professional, and very personable.Thanks Nick!

Amy Hutchison

15:59 13 Jul 21

Curtis Gracey

00:24 12 Jul 21

Our AC broke down and call Holt Heating and cooling they gave us a time when they would arrive. They where right on time. They diagnosed the issue and ordered the part for the repair. They also made a temporary fix to get the AC running which was awesome. The service technician was James very professional and efficient.

Scott Post

20:50 11 Jul 21

Stephannie Shedd

16:40 09 Jul 21

Noah Hudson

21:24 08 Jul 21

Ben was most knowledgeable, on task, and a straight shooter.

GORDON K. DARLING, JR.

17:59 08 Jul 21

Alice Bohall

20:35 29 Jun 21

John Coulter

17:21 24 Jun 21

Great service with the monthly plan. If there is a problem they come fix it right away. They are alway pleasant and professional. Matt went above and beyond to make sure I was happy with the work.

Jenny Gero

16:27 23 Jun 21

Guy came out to repair the water heater claimed that I needed either 1100 for a gas valve replacement that probably wouldn't work or 3100 for a new water heater. my brother talked me through it on the phone and for a $12 thermal coupler I fixed it myself. they made $100.58 just to come tell me lies and be.

Tabatha Bounmivilay

23:56 20 Jun 21

All Holt service people are polite as well as knowledgeable. Nick did a great job today. He is a great asset to the business.Trent installed a new kitchen faucet. He was very professional and did a good job.

Susan Gustafson

21:47 19 Jun 21

Very professional and efficient!

Dee Culp

23:32 16 Jun 21

Nick is friendly, efficient and explained everything thoroughly

George Kappos

22:39 16 Jun 21

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History of Holt Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

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