Any reason not to add a spigot to the bottom of my rain barrel?

Question

I got a rain barrel that has a spigot coming out of the side about 5" above the bottom. This seems inefficient, since it means that there's always going to be 5" of standing water in the barrel below the level of the spigot. I imagine the water acts as a weight to stabilize the barrel, but I don't like the waste and mosquito breeding risk in the summer.

Is there any downside to adding a new spigot on the floor of the barrel so virtually all the water drains, and strapping the tank to something solid for stability?

Answer 1

If you have a downhill run from your rainbarrel you could simply add a curved pipe to the inside of the spigot you have (down to the bottom) and the water will be siphoned out without making an additional hole.

To the extent that placement might have been a deliberate design choice, it would allow dirt and roof grit to settle on the bottom and not clog up your hose attachements. You may want to filter in, out, or both if you are eliminating this simple settlement filtration.

Answer 2

The only downside is if it break and/or leaks. You can lose all your water. You may want to install a gate instead of a spigot. Water can run faster and they are harder to clog.

Answer 3

This is done to get above the sediment in the bottom of the barrel. If you put a valve lower, you may spend a lot of time cleaning it.