Returns & Warranty Policy

 

Refund Policy

Customers may cancel their orders, prior to shipment, for a refund minus a 3% fee to cover the card charges incurred by Blue Alpine. The card companies still charge us regardless if we refund the money. We just don't want to lose money when someone changes their mind. 

Once the freeze dryer(s) ships, if it is within 30 days of ship date, customers may return their freeze dryers for a refund less all shipping costs and less a restocking fee of 15%.

A return merchandise authorization (RMA) must be issued via email or other written form of communication before items can be shipped back to Blue Alpine LLC. Blue Alpine LLC reserves the right to not refund any items that did not have an RMA prior to being shipped back. 

Restocking and return shipping fees for customers outside of the continental 48 states of the United States will vary and are calculated on a case by case basis. 

Note: We have had customers that wanted to return the unit before it even arrived because the shipping company was a few days late. Although Amazon Prime delivery is great we are not that cool and can't afford to pay for impatience. 

 

One-Year Warranty

Full One-Year Warranty only includes the U.S. continental 48 states
Warranty Period: Blue Alpine LLC freeze dryers are warrantied for 12 months from the ship date if shipped directly from the factory or the date of purchase if purchased at a retail store. Proof of purchase is required for warranty. If the unit needs to be shipped back to our facility for maintenance, one additional month will be added to the warranty. 

If the customer has the ability to use the machine but does not set it up or chooses not to use it, this time will still count toward the warranty time period. 

We no longer offer a one year of use warranty as has been communicated in legacy social media due to the logistical complexity of how to manage such a warranty. 

Blue Alpine will be responsible for: Repair or, at our option, replacement of any part of this freeze dryer and/or vacuum pump which proves to be defective in workmanship or material. We are committed to making sure our machines are running and getting customers back into operation in a timely manner. 

Consumer will be responsible for: There may be small things that can be replaced by the user. These could be things like a vacuum pump, computer board or software updates. The machines were designed to be simple to work on so if any part fails it is usually a very simple repair to get it working again.  If you have any questions about how to do these replacements or updates we will be available to walk you through it and make it as easy as possible. The customer is explicitly and solely responsible of physically preparing the freeze dryer or other components for shipment back to Blue Alpine LLC. When asked, parts must be shipped back to Blue Alpine LLC before new parts can be sent. When returning shipping freight, photos of the shipment must be sent to Blue Alpine LLC before return shipping will be scheduled. 

The customer will be responsible for any misuse or neglect of the freeze dryer, including but not limited to damage caused by plugging the unit into 240V, dropping the freeze dryer during installation, plugging the vacuum pump into the drain hose, and acts of god such as lightning strikes. 

International Limited Warranty (Also Alaska & Hawaii)

For units sold outside of the lower 48 states of the USA Blue Alpine LLC will provide warranty on parts only. Shipping and or freight charges related to warranty work, parts, or services outside of the lower 48 states of the USA are paid by the customer. Service to install parts must be provided, coordinated, and paid for by the owner. We will not ship the unit back to our facility. If the customer wishes to pay for shipping the unit to and from our facility then we will coordinate shipping and we will repair the unit fully. It is simply far to expensive for us to be able to provide this service. 

Shipping for international orders is insured by Blue Alpine LLC according to the FAS – Free Alongside Ship incoterms. Any additional shipping insurance beyond FAS will be coordinated by the buyer with their freight forwarder. 

 

 

Limited 3-Year Warranty

Warranty Period: Blue Alpine LLC will provide a limited warranty for a period of 36 months from the original ship date original ship date if shipped directly from the factory or the date of purchase if purchased at a retail store. Proof of purchase is required for warranty. If the unit needs to be shipped back to our facility for maintenance, one additional month will be added to the warranty. 

Blue Alpine will be responsible for: Repair or, at our option, replacement of any part of the sealed refrigeration system (compressor, condenser, evaporator, tubing, condenser fan) which fails because of defective workmanship or material.

Consumer will be responsible for: Diagnostic charges for determining defects, and any costs for transportation and delivery of the appliance required because of service. The customer is explicitly and solely responsible of physically preparing the freeze dryer or other components for shipment back to Blue Alpine LLC. When asked, parts must be shipped back to Blue Alpine LLC before new parts can be sent. When returning shipping freight, photos of the shipment must be sent to Blue Alpine LLC before return shipping will be scheduled. 

The customer will be responsible for any misuse or neglect of the freeze dryer, including but not limited to damage caused by plugging the unit into 240V, dropping the freeze dryer, plugging the vacuum pump into the drain hose, and acts of god such as lightning strikes. 

 

  

 

Normal Responsibilities of the Consumer:

Note: This is a scientific process and an expensive machine. We ask that you learn everything you can about how the process works. It would be ridiculous to buy a car without knowing how to drive. 

This warranty applies only to freeze dryers used in clean environments and when operated in accordance with Blue Alpine instructions. The consumer is responsible for the following items:
1. Proper use of the appliance in accordance with the instructions provided with the product.

2. Proper installation in accordance with the instructions provided with the appliance and in accordance with all local electrical codes.

3. Proper connection to a grounded power supply of sufficient voltage, replacement of blown fuses, repair of loose connections or defects in house wiring.

4. The appliance must be operated in a clean open area that has plenty of airflow and is not above 90°F or below 32° F. 

5. Damages to the appliance during or after installation. Do not lift the unit by holding onto the door.

6. Properly maintaining and operating the freeze dryer and vacuum pump. Changing the oil is important and the pump is much like a car  engine. The more often you change the oil the longer it will last. 

7. Ensuring freeze-dried food, or other freeze-dried material, are completely dry prior to packaging.

8. Ensuring proper, durable containers are used. Containers, once sealed, must not allow water or air to penetrate them.

9. Any new software updates will need to be performed but the user. 

10. Ensuring sufficient/proper, fresh oxygen absorbers are included in the sealed container with the freeze dried material. They must not have expired or been exposed to the air prematurely for too long of a time. 

11. PCB/motherboard replacement. The machines are built with the customer in mind and are easy to work on. Replacement of a board is not common but they are normally a 5 minute fix. If Blue Alpine LLC warranties a PCB/motherboard it is the responsibility of the customer to replace it. Additionally, if Blue Alpine LLC asks for the old PCB back for evaluation and provides a shipping label it is the responsibility of the customer to ship it back. 

12. The customer is responsible for transporting the freeze dryer from the delivery truck to the location where it will be used. The delivery truck drivers will only take the pallet off the truck, but they will not deliver inside. Additionally, depending on the property, some trucks may only be able to deliver to the street or a crossroads further away. It is the customer's responsibility to communicate any possible delivery restrictions to the freight or delivery company and coordinate appropriately. 

The quality of food processed in the machine can vary widely and change depending on even the smallest change in cycle parameters. Because of this,  Blue Alpine accepts no responsibility for the quality of freeze-dried food or freeze-dried materials; nor does it accept responsibility for the packaging of the food or other freeze-dried material. 

 

 

Exclusions

Damages caused by or through any of the items listed below are either excluded from the warranty or will void the warranty if not properly performed. The exclusions outlined herein are critical to ensure that the warranty applies only to manufacturing defects or failures directly related to the quality of materials and workmanship, as intended by Blue Alpine LLC. 

1. Any modifications or add-on after-market accessories will void the warranty in its entirety.

2. Consequential or incidental damages such as, but not limited to, property damage and incidental expenses resulting from any breach of this written or any implied warranty.

3. The warranty does not cover flooding, fire, wind or other damage caused by natural events. 

4. Damages caused by services performed by persons other than authorized by Blue Alpine.

5. Parts other than Blue Alpine repair parts or parts obtained from suppliers other than Blue Alpine personnel.

6. External causes such as abuse, misuse, inadequate power supply, or acts of God.

7. Products with original serial numbers that have been removed or altered and cannot be readily determined.

8. Damage cause by using an extension cord instead of direct line connection to available power supply. This will ruin the motors. 

9. Claims for personal injuries, incidental or consequential damages, or economic loss (profit or revenue), however caused.

10. If you are not the original owner of the freeze dryer, the warranty no longer applies.

11. Plugging the unit in to 220 voltage will void the warranty.  Note: This has happened before that is why it is in here.

12. Plugging the unit into an outlet that has reversed polarity (the outlets hot and neutral are backwards) may also void the warranty and will be decided by Blue Alpine LLC on a case by case basis. 

13. Failure to return components to Blue Alpine LLC when requested to return them may result in voided warranty.

14. No returns, service, or refunds will be provided for "noisy" or "loud" machines. Freeze dryers are inherently louder than an average home appliance. 

15. Damages caused by any interruption, brown out, power surge, lightning strikes, power receptacle, or other power service anomalies are not warrantied. Blue Alpine LLC recommends plugging your freeze dryer into an appropriately sized surge protector. 

16. Blue Alpine LLC does not cover the cost of any express or expedited shipping for any purchases, repair parts, warranty service, or replacement items. If expedited shipping or services are needed the customer can select what speed of service is wanted, then the customer will be sent a means to pay for the expedited shipping before the items are shipped. 

17. Blue Alpine LLC reserves the right to void the warranty if the customer performs or arranges any repairs, modifications, or maintenance on the product without the prior written consent of the manufacturer via email or otherwise. The customer is required to contact the manufacturer before undertaking any such work. 

18. Service calls which do not involve malfunction or defects in workmanship or material.

19. Any packaging materials, including the dust cover that comes with the machines. This is just packaging and may be damaged during shipping or unboxing. 

20. Any damage caused by the customer to the vacuum pump, including but not limited to not changing the oil at correct intervals, hooking the pump up to the drain valve, using inappropriate cleaners in the pump, not putting oil in the pump, and improper reassembly of the pump. For vacuum pumps purchased with a freeze dryer, any damages to vacuum pumps that exceed two replacement vacuum pumps will be assumed to be damages caused by the customer, likely related to how to customer is maintaining the vacuum pump. Similarly, for vacuum pump purchased independently, any damages to vacuum pumps that exceed one replacement vacuum pumps will be assumed to be damages caused by the customer, likely related to how to customer is maintaining the vacuum pump.

21. Any food that is burnt and or stuck to the silicone mats, and or any damage to the silicone mats due to use, food preparation, cutting, cleaning, freeze drying, or otherwise is not included in this warranty. Additionally any warping of the stainless steel sheet pans is not covered by this warranty. 

 22. All consumables such as the impulse sealer hot wire, impulse sealer PTFE parts, mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, vacuum pump oil, vacuum pump oil mist filter, vacuum pump carbon filter, and P100 chamber filter are explicitly excluded from the warranty. 

23. The silicone mats can easily be cut if used as a cutting board and are therefore not covered under the full 1 year warranty. Instead, if there is a problem or manufacturing defect with the silicone tray mats the warranty is limited to 30 day from receipt of the freeze dryer.

24. Items categorized as "Replacement Parts" and purchased from the Blue Alpine LLC website are sold on an as-is basis and are not covered under our standard product warranty. Due to the nature of these parts, we cannot accept returns, as we are unable to verify whether a returned item is the originally purchased part or one that has been used or replaced during a repair, or damaged during the repair process. By purchasing repair parts, the customer acknowledges and accepts that all sales are final. If you have any questions about this exclusion or need help selecting the correct part, please contact our support team before purchasing.

25. Refurbished vacuum pumps, and all other refurbished or used accessories are excluded from this warranty. All refurbished vacuum pumps and other refurbished accessories are covered under warranty for a period of two weeks from the time they are received by the customer. 

26. All new or refurbished electronics, accessories, pumps, and other items that are provided to a customer in connection with a warranty claim are covered under the original warranty and do not in any way extend the warranty beyond the original warranty. 

27. The 1 year warranty on the vacuum pump either purchased with a freeze drier, or purchased independently, is only valid if the customer changes the oil every 120 hours at a minimum and is using Dairyland or Clover Patch vacuum pump oil. The warranty on the vacuum pump is void if either of these conditions are not met.  

 

Service:

Since it is the responsibility of the consumer to establish the warranty period by verifying the original purchase date, keep your delivery slip or purchase receipt or some other appropriate payment record. This written warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may have other rights that vary from state to state. Service under this warranty must be obtained by contacting Blue Alpine directly:

If you need service just call us. We are happy to help.  

Blue Alpine
80 East Industrial Park Rd,
Saint Anthony, ID, 83445,
United States

208-607-1722

contact@bluealpinefreezedryers.com

 

 

Shipping 

Note: Shipping times are just an estimate. Once the unit leaves or facility we have very little control over the freight company. Although delays in shipping are not common we ask for patience in dealing with the shipping company and any delays their company might cause.   

Shipping Damage

If the machine is damaged during shipment we will work with the shipping company to make it right. Blue Alpine LLC reserves the right to decide to ship the customer parts such as panels that the customer will replace, or to ship the machine back to our facility to be repaired. This decision will be determined based on the extent of the damage. 

 

 

Everything Else

Non-Transferability of Warranty:

This warranty is extended only to the original purchaser of the product and is not transferable to subsequent owners. Any transfer of ownership voids the warranty. 

Purchase from a retailer: 

If you have purchased from a 3rd party retailer you will need to provide a receipt or proof of purchase to initiate any warranty claim. 

Return of Parts or Items: 

If a new part or item has been provided to the customer under warranty, Blue Alpine LLC reserves the right to request that old or damaged parts or items be sent back to Blue Alpine LLC for evaluation or repair. If Blue Alpine LLC provides return shipping labels for parts or items and the customer does not ship them back within 30 calendar days, Blue Alpine LLC reserves the right to void the warranty on the freeze dryer. 

 

 

 

 

Legal Disclosures

Blue Alpine offers substantial support for our freeze dryers. Customers can contact our dedicated customer service team for assistance with maintenance, repairs, and technical inquiries. Blue Alpine remains committed to providing general support and assistance to our customers. If you have any questions or require further information, please don't hesitate to contact our customer service team.

Blue Alpine LLC does not assume responsibility for any damaged food or financial losses using our freeze dryers. Blue Alpine will provide maintenance and repair parts covered by the warranty during the warranty period.

By completing a purchase from Blue Alpine LLC, the customer expressly acknowledges and agrees to the terms and conditions outlined within the applicable warranty, as it is stated and without modification. The sections and topics described in the warranty, normal responsibility of the customer, exclusions, shipping, everything else, and legal disclosures are independent and enforceable independently from all other sections. 

By completing a purchase from Blue Alpine LLC, the Customer expressly acknowledges that there can be sharp edges on the sheet pan trays and on the inside of the machine. Additionally, the freeze dryer has components that can become cold enough or hot enough to cause burns or injuries on unprotected skin. The Customer agrees that they are solely responsible for themselves and their employees in regards to properly wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment for their specific use case of the freeze dryer. The Customer agrees to hold Blue Alpine LLC harmless for any injuries caused from the lack of wearing of personal protective equipment that could have been worn. 

Furthermore, the customer agrees and understands that any and all transactions, exchanges, or purchases involving Blue Alpine LLC shall be considered to have originated within the jurisdiction and authority of Fremont County, Idaho. In accordance with this stipulation, any and all disputes or proceedings arising in connection with, or as a result of, any purchase, transaction, or contractual engagement with Blue Alpine LLC shall be adjudicated, processed, and resolved exclusively within the legal system governing Fremont County, Idaho.