Winter Water Butt

Thoie

I installed a rainwater collection butt earlier this year, and used the contents over the summer for watering the garden.

Obviously at this time of year, it's unnecessary. The butt is full, and the excess just flows back down the main drainpipe. Is it an issue to leave it like that over the winter? Should I disconnect it? If/when temperatures drop below freezing later in the winter does it matter if it's full?

I could attach a hose to the tap, and leave the tap open, draining the tank and directing the water back into the drain, but if it's empty will it end up blowing over in the wind?

Or should I leave it full for the winter, and maybe drain it out next March when it will refill again quickly.

I probably should have thought of all these things before, but it never crossed my mind.

Tree

I think there's a risk of the water freezing, expanding and bursting the butt. That said, I left mine fullish last year but it's south facing and black...
IT's also screwed to the wall so it wouldn't blow in the wind.
Also, watch out for manky things deciding to grow in it...

The smaller butt (green, attached to the greenhouse) I emptied and it blew over, so I left it like that till the late spring.

Funsterdelux

It would only the top couple of inches freezing, at worst.

Things like pipes burst when frozen because theres no room for expansion. In a water butt you dont have that issue.

Grats

My water butts blew over in stormy weather a few years ago. After reinstalling them I put a large rock in each and they haven't blown over since.

iamtony

I've a full water butt all through the winter and through the snow etc. They don't freeze much. Maybe the top might freeze but it's not a problem dont worry about it. The fresh water will keep entering as it rains and the old water will drain. Leave it alone. You might ever find some used for it.

Thoie

Tree wrote: »

Also, watch out for manky things deciding to grow in it...

That's one of my concerns. Maybe I'll run it off a bit today - tomorrow looks fairly wet, so it would fill up again quickly, just to keep things moving through.

I've just seen that Jeyes Fluid suggest adding 5ml (a teaspoon) to a water butt to keep it fresh. Now might be a good time to do that when it will have plenty of chances to dilute down before I'm using it again.

RiderOnTheStorm

I have a couple of rain water tanks, and no issues with freezing over several winters. Expansion (as previously mentioned) is the issue. If you have narrow pipes (full of water) then you might have an issue.

I leave mine full over winter, so that they are heavy during worst weather and dont blow over. Also, if i empty them, i might get airlocks. There is a long distance between one butt and the IBC that feeds it. Leaving water in does solve 1 problem and create another. Green alge (& other gunk) does grow and can clog pipes. Its a bit gross looking, but I don't think its harmful to plants... Its all natural, eh?

On the up side, I did see a newt in my polytunnel this year. I guess he liked the heat plus the standing water butt.

We use our water for the chicken

Thoie

SouthWesterly wrote: »

We use our water for the chicken

I'm not buying chickens just to "use" the rain water. No, not geese either. Or ducks. No fowl of any kind.

Thoie

Thoie wrote: »

I'm not buying chickens just to "use" the rain water. No, not geese either. Or ducks. No fowl of any kind.

But you then get to spend a fortune building a nice run for them and get fresh butt nuggets to eat or sell for 4 euro a dozen.

Up Donegal

Is there a connection (similar to picture) between the butt and the downpipe? If so, can you disconnect it from the butt? And leave some water in the butt to prevent it from blowing over.

https://www.screwfix.ie/p/floplast-rainwater-diverter-70mm-black/27866?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzbjmkNbp7AIVuIBQBh3Z6Qm_EAQYASABEgJwtPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

gozunda

Thoie wrote: »

I'm not buying chickens just to "use" the rain water. No, not geese either. Or ducks. No fowl of any kind.

Ah go on - they're cute :pac:

Thoie

Up Donegal wrote: »

Is there a connection (similar to picture) between the butt and the downpipe? If so, can you disconnect it from the butt? And leave some water in the butt to prevent it from blowing over.

https://www.screwfix.ie/p/floplast-rainwater-diverter-70mm-black/27866?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzbjmkNbp7AIVuIBQBh3Z6Qm_EAQYASABEgJwtPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

There is, and it's easy to disconnect. My only concern with that is that water coming down the drainpipe would then just dribble/gush out along the outside of the pipe instead of continuing down into the drain, and there'd be an exposed "entrance" into the water butt for things to get in there. The answer might be a temporary cap over each end if I can find the right size.