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Melt185 t1_iy9mt4g wrote

My 1st apt was a basement, and I was treated to the sounds of the lady upstairs dragging a body across her kitchen floor, while wearing heels, every weekday at 5:30AM. Needless to say, I did not renew my lease.

No bug problems, though.

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issuesintherapy t1_iy9mwfc wrote

I think it will really vary depending on the place. Probably the best bet is to see the apartment and get a feel for it, see how well insulated it is, and ask if it's possible to speak with a former tenant about the place. Best of luck.

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chillintoday t1_iy9q475 wrote

>dampness, mold, heating, and BUGS

'fire' should be at the top of that list. Can you exit in an emergency WITHOUT going upstairs to the main level?

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FinnbarMcBride t1_iyahlm6 wrote

Look it over good before you sign anything. Look for signs of mold/mildew especially on walls, near windows, along the edges of the floor, etc. If there is a rug, get down and sniff it for mold

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phunky_1 t1_iyaojvj wrote

Replying to chillintoday (#776,645)

... And flash flooding.

There were some horrifying stories out of NYC when they got dumped on with rain and people wound up drowning stuck in their basement apartment.

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Agnaolds t1_iyassez wrote

Definitely get a dehumidifier- I never had an issue with bugs though. One positive is that basement apartments usually stay cooler in the summer compared to their first and second story companions.

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Jawaka99 t1_iyavmri wrote

Every apartment will be different. You won't know until you're there unfortunately.

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-Gaunter-O-Dimm t1_iyb45ot wrote

If it’s an older building you’ll most likely see a few house Centipedes. They are extremely creepy looking and also move in a serpentine motion which makes it even worse. That being said they’re harmless and murder other bugs, especially Silverfish which are also common in basement apartments. I still use a bit of generic non toxic Bug Begone spray and taped up a few holes/cracks and that definitely cut down on the amount I saw when I first moved in.

The insulation of being semi underground is also great. My place stays cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The downside of being semi underground is the natural light though. Despite having full size windows above the ground line I definitely get much less natural light than the upstairs areas so that’s definitely a con

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