Please, someone help me think through this. I did not inherit the DIY gene, so I'm thinking there must be a simple solution to this problem and I just am not seeing it.

I live in a 1BR condo on the second floor of a 3-story building. My water heater is in an attic storage space on the third floor which is accessed through a panel in the hallway ceiling. The ceiling is between 7 and 8 feet tall. There is no pull-down stair to get into the attic.

I think the water heater is more than 10 years old, however I don't know for sure. I would like to get up to the attic to take a look at it.

On a 6-foot ladder, the tallest step that is safe to stand on is less than 4 feet high. So that leaves a gap of more than 3 feet to get into the attic.

But an 8-foot ladder is taller than the ceiling, so it won't fit in the hallway.

So how do I get up there?

p.s. I already asked the condo office for help and they told me I'm on my own on this one.