Rent a ladder in downtown Manhattan

June 13, 2022 7:19 AM

The ceiling light just burned out in my apartment on a 12' ceiling, where can I get a ladder close by in downtown Manhattan (Chelsea)? It's the first time that's happened living here.

Tried to search ladder rental nearby and have nothing (eg Home Depot). Any suggestions where I could get one? I don't have a car and can't drive.

posted by artificialard to Home & Garden (7 answers total)

Best answer: FWIW, the apartments I've lived in, that was a job for the Super.
posted by xedrik at 7:21 AM on June 13, 2022 [4 favorites]

Best answer: If the Super can't or won't do it, surely they would lend you the ladder...

In the absence of a ladder, they have suction cup devices to change bulbs that are unreachable naturally. Here is a cheap one with just the suction cup attachment. Others have more attachments for different sorts of bulbs.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 7:29 AM on June 13, 2022 [8 favorites]

If you are going to pursue borrowing a ladder, you could join the Chelsea "Buy Nothing" group on Facebook - there's bound to be someone who would lend you a ladder there.

Adam
posted by RajahKing at 7:48 AM on June 13, 2022

Just to throw it out there - faced with a similar problem, I decided that at least for the time being, it's easier for me to deploy strategic floor lamps than to change the unreachable bulb.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 8:40 AM on June 13, 2022 [1 favorite]

Perhaps one of your neighbors with similar height ceilings has a ladder to loan you or has sourced one for rent nearby. Good luck!
posted by happy_cat at 10:21 AM on June 13, 2022 [1 favorite]

There are much better poles than the suction cup one.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:19 AM on June 14, 2022

Response by poster: So I just asked my super again on a different day and he was like "for sure". Thanks for getting my past my anxiety of asking for things people should be doing :)
posted by artificialard at 3:37 PM on June 21, 2022