Lighting a historic New Orleans Home

Converted gas newel post lighting
Gas lamps converted to electric on newel posts.

The illumination of homes has changed over the years. Candles and oil lamps were among the first devices to light our homes, followed by gas lamps, then electricity, which is currently in use today.

Converted gas wall sconce
Converted gas wall sconce

It is not uncommon during an inspection of a historic home in New Orleans to come across abandoned gas lines in an attic which once supplied gas to overhead or wall lighting. Occasionally I’ll find and abandoned gas wall bracket or valve on a wall where a gas wall fixture once resided. Rarely do I find older fixtures which have been converted to electricity and are still in use, but it does happen.

Converted gas bathroom lighting

Converted gas bathroom fixture

Once during an inspection of an early 1900’s home in New Orleans, most of the fixtures in place were original gas fixtures converted to electricity. The date of conversion is not known. The gas lamps on the newel posts of the stair well at the center of the room are the main focal point when entering the home.

Converted gas hall lighting

Converted gas hall fixture

Original converted gas lamps were found throughout the home, even in the closets. As a home inspector who performs inspections on many older New Orleans homes, it was impressive to see this many fixtures still in place and in good condition. Love looking at the historic lighting. It was like a step back in time.  Inspecting historic homes is always interesting and rewarding.

Converted gas hall lighting

Converted gas hall fixture

Falling Bullets

Falling Bullets and roof damage

As the New Year approaches, many will be celebrating. Have you ever stopped to think how many people still recklessly fire a weapon up in the air on New Year’s Eve without considering What Goes Up Must Come Down. While it’s not that common to find a bullet or bullet hole in a roof in the New Orleans area, it still happens. Keep in mind, a falling bullet can cause roof damage but also serious bodily injury or death. Finding another bullet embedded in an asphalt shingle roof in Algiers makes me weary about being outside during the midnight celebrations.

Bullet-in-roof

Historic New Orleans Lighting

While inspecting homes in New Orleans I get to see a vast variety of homes from historic to new. It is amazing the things we find in these older homes. Occasionally there may be several eras of lighting installed within the home.

  

The first picture is of a gas lamp found in a house we inspected. The fixture appears to be upside down based on the photo on the right. The photo on the right is a picture of a bathroom fixture. Continue reading Historic New Orleans Lighting