Which apartment level saves the most money in heating/cooling (Fort Collins: apartment complex, insurance)

[jlstiff]

The apartment complex I am looking at has 4 levels:
-Garden (only the windows are above ground
-Ground
-2nd floor
-3rd floor

I am wondering which of these is the cheapest to heat/cool. My husband and I like the top floor because no one is above us (we have had issues in the past with a poor structure being so loud I wore those industrial foam ear plugs to bed each night...and I'm not that stereotypical older person who hates noise; I am in my early 20s!).

Any comments from past experiences?

Thanks!

[bproven]

Originally Posted by jlstiff

The apartment complex I am looking at has 4 levels:
-Garden (only the windows are above ground
-Ground
-2nd floor
-3rd floor

I am wondering which of these is the cheapest to heat/cool. My husband and I like the top floor because no one is above us (we have had issues in the past with a poor structure being so loud I wore those industrial foam ear plugs to bed each night...and I'm not that stereotypical older person who hates noise; I am in my early 20s!).

Any comments from past experiences?

Thanks!

IMO and experience (due to physics, etc):
------------
top floors = great in the winter, suck in the summer
bottom floors = great in the summer, suck in the winter
Pick your poison...

[shannonx]

I think it would greatly depend on the structure you want to live in, I have lived in newer apartments on the ground floor and had low utility bills and now am on the third floor in an older apt. with a large sliding door going from the living room to the balcony so you can imagine how cold it gets up here on top. Second floor apt. would suck, especially if young people live below or above you, you know the noise they can make. If I could I would choose a basement apt. stays relatively the same year round.

[Mike from back east]

Cost differential is probably negligible. For me, I'd go TOP floor in a heartbeat to be rid of noisy feet overhead.

Fort Collins is not really that hot of a place in the summer, and if you can get front to back (flow through) breeze, you'll be fine most of the time. The winter sun will keep you warm in the day and at night the heat from the 70-degree apartment below should keep your floors warmer than the basement floor that sits on 55-degree foundation concrete. There's more privacy on the top floor (no peepers) and for security the top floor is much harder to break into than the ground level windows. I'm a worrier about such things. If you have nice furniture and expensive TV and such, consider renter's insurance, not that expensive.