Do I need to empty my water butt ?

[KangarooKenny]

Do you all empty your water butts for the winter ? I’m wondering if it freezes, it might split the plastic 🤔

Shouldn’t split, because it has a wide open top, so plenty of space to expand. I don’t empty mine

The reason for splitting is that water expands as it freezes, so if it doesn’t have space to expand, eg a bottle with a narrow neck which freezes sooner than the bigger mass in the wider part, or a pipe with a closed tap at the end, the container has to split instead.

Never done this, sometimes ice at top & on spigot, but no splitting (ever). All our butts are at least 17 years old. I was advised for winter, to turn off water flow to outside tap, & empty that outside tap, so that pipe couldn't burst.

Never emptied them for winter, not going to waste all that water saved up.

In the unlikely event of the water freezing it'll probably only be the top (though I am in the south so more northern areas may be worse) it'll just overflow a bit as they're not sealed.

No, they’re designed to be outside all year.

Thanks, I didn’t want to waste all the rain that is yet to come. I emptied them this summer.