I've found hallway placement pretty effective too, but I'd add that gas type matters. Natural gas rises, so detectors should ideally be placed higher up, while propane sinks, meaning lower placement is better. Had a similar scare myself—turned out to be a faulty valve on our stove. Since then, I've kept one detector near the ceiling in the hallway and another lower down near the utility room. Manufacturers definitely could clarify this stuff better...would save us all some stress.
Good point about gas types—placement definitely matters. Can't tell you how many times I've seen detectors installed randomly without considering gas density. Had a client once with propane detectors mounted up high, and they couldn't figure out why they never triggered during a leak. Luckily, it was minor and caught early, but still... could've been worse.
Manufacturers really should step up their instructions. Most manuals barely touch on placement specifics, if at all. I usually suggest folks keep one detector near potential sources (stove, furnace, etc.) and another in sleeping areas or hallways. Covers your bases better. Glad your scare turned out okay—faulty valves are sneaky little things.
Had a similar issue myself a while back. Installed a CO detector near the ceiling, just assuming it'd be fine—turns out carbon monoxide is roughly the same density as air, so placement isn't super critical, but still better at breathing height. Ended up relocating it to chest-level in the hallway outside bedrooms. Agree manufacturers could do way better explaining stuff like this... would've saved me some hassle. Glad things worked out okay for you too, leaks are no joke.
Had a similar realization myself after a scare last winter. I had mine plugged into an outlet near the floor, figuring gas sinks, right? Turns out that's true for propane and natural gas, but CO mixes evenly with air. Ended up moving it to about shoulder height in the hallway. Agree completely about manufacturers—wouldn't hurt them to toss in a simple diagram or something. Glad you caught yours early, gas leaks definitely aren't something to mess around with...
Had a similar issue myself a while back, and yeah, the placement thing can be confusing. I was skeptical at first about the whole "CO mixes evenly" thing, but after some digging around, turns out it's legit. Here's what I ended up doing:
1. Checked the manual (which was about as helpful as a chocolate teapot).
2. Did some online research—turns out shoulder height or slightly higher is ideal for CO detectors.
3. Moved mine from near the floor to about eye-level in the hallway outside bedrooms.
4. Tested it regularly (just press that annoying little button every month or so).
Honestly, manufacturers could save us all a headache by just including a simple diagram or clearer instructions. But hey, guess that's asking too much these days...
Glad you caught yours early though—gas leaks are no joke.
