Pre-emptively changing a difficult battery

When I realised, upon my return from the Netherlands, what a deeply annoying sound my smoke/heat alarms make when they are running low on battery, I got worried about the alarm on the top floor. The electrician places right above the stairs, which makes it really difficult to get to. Stairs are not good places to put ladders, then putting a ladder on the landing would mean you would have to reach out sideways so far it looks risky. So how would I solve that? I would be in a hurry! Anything to make the sound stop. I figured I needed to be prepared. I wanted to find some solution or other before it would become urgent. And I used a rainy Sunday for it. 

I tried the ladders that are part of my working platform. I couldn't make that work. Then I tried my extendable ladder. I couldn't make that work either. And I was keeping my friends updated. They were worried about my antics! And Sue and Dean were so worried that they decided to come down with the working platform they have; it is different from mine, and probably a bit more manoeuvrable.

Trying the extendable ladder

Their platform is easier to put into position than mine. And they plonked it on the stairs with a short leg on the landing and a short leg on the stairs. That worked! With that, Dean could reach. So he sorted it. 

Dean sorting it

I don’t know how much charge that battery still had! But it now has a fresh one. When the easier-to-reach alarm on the ground floor runs out it can use up the tail end of this battery. And then get an entirely new one after it has done that. 

I should be sorted for years now! That’s a good feeling.