New well owner here in need of advice. Please forgive the long post, just want to give as much info on front end.

Problem: Lots of very fine sediment clogging our three one-micron filters, and subsequently reducing pressure. Changing all three filters every 1 – 3 days.

Failed solution: Tried to move to 5-micron in one of our three filters to help with the pressure. It helped, but the sediment that started coming through was bad enough to force us back to the 1-micron.

Professional advice: We’ve had two professionals try to help us, but there wasn’t a consensus – which makes us nervous. Both agreed the sediment is something called ‘glacial till’. The first man is suggesting a backwashing unit, the second one says the backwashing unit won’t help since some of the sediment is so fine that it doesn't appear to settle at the bottom of a bucket after letting it sit for 24-hours. The second man eyeballed our water and thinks it might be iron bacteria (water is being tested right now) and – pending test results - wants to run chlorine through the well for $3000.

Other problems (related?):
- Air regularly coming out of some faucets(not related to timing of filter changes), but not all.
- Despite constant cleaning, tan-colored film settling in toilets, even those in frequent use. (Might be related to all the sediment that got into pipes during our test of the 5-micron filter)
- Sometimes the water stops flowing in the kitchen when the washing machine is on in the basement. This typically only happens when pressure has already slowed. It returns shortly thereafter. Basement shower can be reduced to trickle after basement toilet is flushed. Also only happens when pressure is already low.
- At times pressure seems bad enough to change filters, but we decide to put it off another day. Pressure will seem fine again the next morning.

Question: Is there a way to know for sure if a backwashing unit will help before paying thousands of dollars to install one? Should we be looking at other causes (pump/screen/low well)? Don’t mind spending money on a solution, just want more of a consensus on what the right solution might be.

Stats (if important): Two adults and one baby living in home. Low-water washing machine and dishwasher running every other day. We are told well is apx 35-yrs old, 100 feet deep with a submersible pump. New bladder, but other service unknown. We have records of every time the filters were changed in the last five years (single occupant). Seems consistent with our experience – sometimes a month can go by without them being changed, then times when it is almost daily. Our filters are 20x4.5, 20x2.5 and 10x4.5, in that order.

Sincere thanks for any advice.