Insects?

However the water leak from the kitchen sink directed the water under this foam cushion layer and trapped it on the plywood, where we have a wonderful lively any colony living in the layers of the rotting deteriorating wood. 

@Mark WurtembergI personally have come to view a 401K as a sort of trap.

As a very early RE investor myself, I can see one falling into the trap to cut back spending in their personal life in order to save cash for capital for future RE projects and the like.

He's going to bolt down the trap door from top floor into basement and remove attic ladder so vandals can't get into attic.

Originally posted by @Alvin Sylvain:Another aspect is trapping the tenant in an under-market rent.

Look at YT videos on how to fix them or troubleshoot, so you will know key words to look for (and smell out imaginary cost-boosting terms like "a trap relay is unhinged"Make sure as much as you have is working.

That way you are not trapped there.  

If somebody was trapped in a fire in one of your basement "bedrooms" without windows, you would be personally liable and in some cases besides fines could be criminally prosecuted and go to jail.

It is so easy to get into the trap of wanting to get the property to the standards you would want to live in.