My system still uses R-22. Should I replace it?
Not automatically. R-22 (often labeled HCFC-22 or Freon) was phased out under EPA rules, and production and import ended on January 1, 2020. Existing systems can keep running and be serviced with recovered or reclaimed refrigerant, but it's expensive and getting scarcer. So the question is really about leaks. If an R-22 system is sealed and running well, there's no rule forcing you to replace it. If it's leaking and needs regular top-offs, every recharge costs more than it used to, and that money is usually better spent on a new matched system. Many Pompano homes built before 2010 still have R-22 equipment, so it's worth checking the label on your outdoor unit.
Source: U.S. EPA, Phasing out HCFC-22
Why are block homes harder to keep cool?
Concrete block walls are the standard construction in much of older Pompano Beach, and they behave like a thermal battery. They soak up heat all afternoon and release it inside well into the evening, which is why some homes feel warmest at 9pm. A system that's too small, low on refrigerant or fighting leaky ducts never catches up. The fix is rarely just a bigger unit, because an oversized system cools the air fast and shuts off before it removes moisture, which is how houses end up cold and clammy. The real answers are a correctly sized system, sealed ducts, good attic insulation, and a clean coil that can actually move heat.
