metspitzer wrote in
news
On Mon, 1 Dec 2008 20:32:52 -0800 (PST), Rose
wrote:

On Dec 1, 9:04*pm, "jch" wrote:
Red Green wrote:
"jch" wrote in
:

The house I just moved into has a tall (two story) front entrance
with a porch light suspended by a chain and hanging about 11ft
off the ground. *It has three candelabra lights and two of them
are *burnt out. My standard step ladder is too short and I have
no way to reach the fixture. *The fixture is open at the bottom
but only about 5" in diameter and the bottom has a base that
holds the light sockets and looks as though it could swing freely
within the overall glass enclosure. *Is there some trick to
replacing the bulbs in these fixtures? *If not then what a poor
design this is to require such a tall step ladder to get to it.
*The bulbs are oriented pointing up (ie base down) so I can't use
a pole and attachment to unscrew the bulbs from below. *I've
never had a porchlight like this and wonder what the trick is.

Is there a pair of posts nearby? If you are that lucky, you may be
able to use a stepladder to temporarily put a long 2x4 between the
posts so you can put an extension ladder on the 2x4. Should this
be an option, be careful. Depending on the length of the 2x4, it
could snap in the middle under certain conditions like height of
cross, your weight, bouncing and especially if there's a knot or
defect. You could double up screwing 2x4 to posts then another 2x4
to the first. No extension anyway ladder right?

An 8' should give the avg max safe work height of 12'. 8 footers
are not that expensive new. Often on sale. Once you go to 10',
prices jump at a steeper rate. Pop for the ladder. Bulbs are gonna
blow as long as the light works. You'll find other uses for it
anyway. Make sure you get the right ladder rating for your weight.

Third option is to mooch from new neighbor.

I've been looking around for a "ladder enabled" neighbor in favor of
option 3. *No luck so far. *I guess a step new ladder could be in
order since my 6footer is too short for the porch light. *The other
problem is an 18ft high flood light under the corner roof that I'd
like to change to a motion sensitive unit. *Of course my exstension
ladder doesn't reach that. *This is crazy.
Not there's no railing or window or anyother handy way to get to the
porch light. *Maybe I'll just get a long extension ladder and try to
use it for both the floodlight and the porchlight but that's
$200-$300. *The other problem with that is the large glass window
(at the top of the two story foyer and of no help at all in getting
to the light) that leaning a ladder against might break.

If you had a buddy you could stand on his shoulders.

You could safely extend your ladder at least 2 cinder blocks high.
Stack two blocks on all 4 corners and use 2x8s You gain about 18"

Safely? I don't think so unless there were a 4x8 sheet of subfloor laid
over it. This would cost maybe 1/3 the price of an 8'er. He's a
homeowner. He needs and will need for a long time an 8' er. "Safely
teetering" around on blocks with ladder legs is an oxymoron. You can even
omit the "oxy".