I have had trouble with air in my water system for quite some time. It also gurgles and rushes back to the well. Since moving into my house I replaced the original galvanized waterlogged pressure tank with a flotec precharged tank.

My well/water are above ground. (the pitless adaptor underground system froze for the previous owners at 55 below.) Well is about 77 ft. (I'm guessing from what I remember the owners saying) Water level 15 ft, Pump at 52 feet. The water is pumped out the top of the well casing runs through 3 90s (about 4 ft of pipe) and into a pipe that runs through arctic insulation pipe and into the house. I heat the well house with a 100w bulb and space heater when really cold. The line is heat taped.

In an attempt to solve the air problem I replaced the schrader valves (plugged one, replaced the other) with a valve that will open/close manually. The air problem continued. Perhaps a bad check valve?

Then one day I was getting no water. I thawed copiously (it was 25 below, so a freeze was likely) and I do not believe there was any frozen areas. Looking into the well casing, the pump was running and pumping and water was going out the campbell plastic (rubber) bleed valve. I have looked at the valve and it doesn't seem like it failed or was materially different than one I saw at the store. If the pump was deadheaded with ice, would the bleed valve bleed off if the system was under pressure?

I pulled the pump and will replace it with same brand/size (Meyers rustler/1/2 hp. The check valve was, in fact bac which could have caused the air problem. So now maybe i have that problem solved too.

I am trying to deterine if I should put a bleed valve into the sstem. Everything I read says no bleed back valves in the system going into a pre charged pressure tank. However, it would be really nice to bleed back the vertical section of pipe since when heating the well house, heat might not go down the well casing and perhaps this section of pipe might be more inclined to freeze. Also, if there is no bleed back, there is no way to drain the outside pipes if I leave for an extended period in the winter. Are there other ways to protect that vertical section of pipe? (heat tape can go on part of it but not close to the water level).

Any thoughts on whether I should leave the bleedback valve in the system or remove it? Would it really contribute to freeze protection or am I missing something in the way the system is working.

Help with any or all of the above issues would be really helpful.