[old_tv_nut]

From 1956 to 1969 we lived in a rented apartment in a 6-flat that was built in the 1920s or 1930s, I guess. Heating was from a free-standing gas space heater in the dining room that had a flue pipe to the outside. The flat also had a no-longer-functioning gas fireplace in the living room, with the flue sealed off. No air conditioning, of course. The building still had gas pipes connected to the center of the ceiling in each room, as it apparently started life with gas lighting(!). I only found this out when I changed out the kitchen ceiling lamp. It had been mounted to the gas pipe by unscrewing the cap and then screwing down the mounting plate with the gas pipe cap. I just about crapped my pants when I unscrewed the cap and immediately smelled and heard gas escaping; lucky that I had killed the electric before starting!