We hit pay dirt at our house, this morning, and we were giddy with glee! It wasn't gold we were mining, though (quite the big deal around here, for the last 160 years--you might have heard about it). Far better! At the end of OUR tunnel, we found GRAY stuff!
Our house has two waste water systems: One from the toilets/bidets/urinal to the the septic tank; the other, for all the other waste water--the "gray" water. In the few months of our living in this lovely home, we've had quite a number of extraordinarily unlovely experiences with the outflows of both systems. I'll spare you the indelicate details, but, lets just say, that several of those failures happened when we had guests staying here, magnifying the urgency (and the exasperation!).
After much time and treasure spent and a huge crater dug near the side of our house, involving an entire column in the Yellow Pages under "People Who Can't Seem To Find The Septic Tank", we discovered the issue with System One (we'll call it). The backflow valve was stuck closed, completely blocking the pipe. The absolutely unnecessary backflow valve, as we were informed. Great. The plumbers removed the offending circular flap, and filled in the hole. Ah! Nasty Problem, vanquished! Worth every penny (I guess)!
Then, System Two--the gray water--began to act up. Same symptoms (only, in different fixtures). What the---?!! We were beginning to fear going Downstairs!
What terrible, malodorous, watery disaster would be lurking, there? And, because it would be too simple for it to happen only to us, our friends were also staying here, and desperately in need of showers (you know who you are)! After several more visits from our, now, close, personal (and wealthier) friends, the Plumbers, the same diagnosis was reached. Another stuck (and apparently just as unnecessary) backflow valve! Naturally, and why not?! But this time, to save a bit of cash, we decided to dig for the pipe, ourselves. 5-6 feet down. And, unfortunately, in a slightly different location from the first hole. All new dirt. And rocks and roots.Tom and I shared the chore. Over several weeks. Seems there's always something more important to do, when a big deep hole is waiting to be dug.
The Job was hanging over our heads like Pooh's little black raincloud. We could never quite relax. "It" was out there; inevitable as the weigh-in at the doctor's office. Gradually, though, the hole grew larger, and deeper. Then, today, we both just gave it all we had for a couple of hours, and--WOO HOO!--we found the Source of the Problem! We had tunneled down and under the stairs a bit (a lot like real miners, actually), finding the septic pipe, then the gray water pipe, and, finally, the valve, itself. Looked so benign. Tom got it open, and found that the flap had been dislodged, somehow, from its original position. 
We decided it had to come out. And out it came! An hour later, the hole was covered up, and I had taken a picture of the two little bad valve-discs that had caused so much grief! Two small, innocent-looking, cheap-o pieces of plastic.So, now we live, free of fear, once again! Happy Day!! Feel the joy!! We flush and shower with confidence! And, when you come to visit us, so can YOU!
