I have seen the 50 lb limit and apparently that does apply - I did find language indicating that less than 50 lb systems are exempt. Residential systems are generally 5 tons or less - perhaps 20 lbs of refrigerant.

Sometimes life can be good..

JC's came out next day and fixed all my problems with minimum expense.

1. There is a replacement for R22 which is called 407(?) - Great news for R22 clients
2. Mine despite being old was not R22
3. Recharge was for 2.5 lb ($50)
4. Main culprit was floor guys running the AC whole day so it caused icing of the coils
5. There was a tiny leak which JC's say can be fixed with $85 additive to Freon

Never in my life I was so happy to pay $300 for any house repairs.
5 thumbs up fpr JC's owner John Carmichael.

Good deal, glad it worked out for you.

There are lots of large residential systems, like apartment buildings and dormitories. The EPA website has separate regulations that apply to systems that have between 5 and 50 pounds. It also has a detailed Q&A section for technicians to ensure that they are in compliance. A typical house in The Villages has less than 10 pounds of refrigerant. Technicians who work on individual house systems need to be certified and they need to maintain records on the refrigerants that they add or remove. But, that is about the extent of the EPA requirements for those systems.

The additive is worth a try, but definitely not a guaranteed fix. I would be looking at options for a new HVAC system.

For $85 with 95% success rate, I am game. He could have sold me on $3600 solution or $5-6K new HVAC..

Glad to hear you lucked out. Otherwise it was like reading a mystery and losing the book before you read who don it. However, reread my post #4 and your #5. Some of the others seem to be from people who work or have worked on commercial AC.
Sort of like a race car mechanic telling you how to repair a bicycle.

In any case might be interesting to know who has the oldest still working air conditioning system in the villages? You may not be the winner but at 18 years you are in the running. POINT it is time to check your wallet or start rapidly saving for a replacement. Mine, where it is reminds me of some cars. They put stuff like the spark plugs in before the engine is installed in the car. To replace the spark plug you need to take the engine out of the car so no one does it. I have no idea how they would take my compressor out and put a new one in when it is needed. I'm sure it was put in before the house or surely before the landscaping which is now 9 years bigger.

hope the $300 is well spent. I paid $200 for a fix 2 and a half years ago and then another part went. was worth it to replace unit for peace of mind. I've lived in Florida for 40 years and it's been my experience that the ac will break down during the hottest days and always after business hours on Friday before a long weekend.