Despite the mortgage crisis in the United States, the outlook for split and mini-split systems remains very positive. According to the experts consulted by ACR Latin America in 2008 sales will not increase significantly compared to last year, but in 2009 an important rebound in this sector of the industry can be expected, especially since the market for equipment of this type has had a considerable growth during the last periods; which is mainly due to the fact that there are more options in terms of product offer and prices, as well as versatility in the installation of them. One of the factors that stands out is the evolution that the equipment is having to respond to the demands of the users, for example in the split duct systems the electrical efficiency has increased dramatically because, first of all, the UNITED STATES government increased the minimum efficiency from SEER 10 to SEER 13 for residential systems. However, some brands are already producing SEER 20 equipment.On the other hand, in the world of mini-splits there are brands that already offer up to SEER 17 or higher. On the other hand, there are multi-compressor systems and systems with inverter type compressors, which are very efficient especially at partial loads. Its main advantage is that the equipment is "adjusted" to the real consumption of the spaces, preventing the waste of electrical energy. Another aspect that is gaining importance is the use of alternative ecological refrigerants such as R410a and R407c.
The latest technology is already at the service of the industry for users to benefit from it, however that is only the first step; to achieve a complete assimilation and massive implementation of the new equipment, an arduous work of dissemination and training must also be done in order for customers to recognize the importance of opting for more efficient and ecological systems.
It is also essential to take measures that complement and allow to take full advantage of the properties of this equipment, such as maintenance, the recovery of refrigerants, the education of consumers, as well as making a correct installation to avoid future leaks, which cause problems to the client and the environment. All this will result in significant savings for users, because although the initial cost of a high efficiency equipment is higher, when taking into account the costs of energy, the time in which this additional investment is recovered is reasonably short in most cases.
