I'm offering some tips to think about for those who think this place is a nightmare.

My wife and I used to live in Americana Arms in 1995. It was ok, then, and pretty cheap. I believe we were paying under $500/mo. According to these newer reviews the buildings have just gone further downhill. But this posting is for people who have already moved in, or feel like they may have no choice but to move here because of pricing or location.

Our Apartment had two problems. There was no good ventilation exhaust for the steam created in the bathroom, creating mold on walls in the bedroom. And...we had roaches. But first, the roachies (with a tip on rodents).

I knew that managment would not do anything about roaches, and I did not want pesticide in our place. So, my wife and I looked high and low for every possible crevice and hole and filled it up with caulk and expanding foam from a hardware store. Guess what! No more roaches! That is the best way to keep the roaches out! Roaches can't create holes and crevices, they just take advantage of them. But block them up and they are gone. Uggg - I hate roaches. Look into Boric acid also. I believe that is good natural anti-roach, anti-ant stuff you can place near roach doorways.

I also suggest you have your carpet professionally steam cleaned by a company, and vacuum once every week or two. It is a great way to reduce allergens. Professional steam cleaners can do your whole place for around $100 bucks.

For those with rodent issues, I believe the idea of blocking their way of entry is the best route, once again. But you have to do better than foam or caulk. I've read that they have a hard time with coarse steel wool and to tightly stuff holes and crevices with that. Maybe slap on some expanding foam, to boot.

Finally, the bathroom steam thing. We never did solve this because it never did become an issue until we were almost out. But you might consider a good fan pointing out the nearest window. And close the bedroom door, otherwise you lose the directional airflow! Do this with the fan for about 10-15 minutes after a shower and most of the steam should have exited the room. To keep the humidity down, simply buy a box of that DampRid stuff, or any moisture absorbing pellets/gravel. Get this at the hardware store, it is cheap, and follow the instructions for room size. I'm convinced this will help tremendously with mold issues, cause mold comes from too much humidity, and the humidity comes from the bathroom. You might also look into a dehumidifier, to see the cost comparison for a years supply of DampRid. But DampRid is an easy way to get rid of excess humidity for cheap. These are just some ideas.

Regarding hot apartments, don't be surprised, dudes. You live in Davis. Davis is hot. The most that might be true is that the insulation could be better. but hey, beggars can't be choosers, eh'

These tips are provided and you must implement them yourself. Don't rely on management for everything. They are busy, and they really cannot eradicate pests permanently. The only way to do that would be to demolish the building, but you can stop the pests from getting into your place.

The best thing you can do is think about what you can do that will take care of your problem for cheap, and not poison you to death. And you'll have to take the responsibility for doing it yourself. Management will only follow procedure and procedure is not always helpful. Just think more and complain less. I know it sucks to have problems in your place but you have to pull up the bootstraps sometimes. It's not so bad.

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