Had a similar scare myself a few months back. I was cooking dinner and kept smelling something weird—thought it was just me being paranoid at first. But after a while, I couldn't shake the feeling something wasn't right, so I called the gas company just to be safe. Turns out there was a tiny leak behind my stove. Nothing major, thankfully, but enough to freak me out and make me rethink my whole setup.
After that, I went out and bought a couple of those gas detectors you're talking about. Honestly, placement was tricky for me too. The instructions were kind of vague, and I ended up spending way too much time googling the best spots. I agree with the kitchen stove and water heater suggestions, but I'd also add the laundry room if you have a gas dryer. I didn't even think about that until someone else pointed it out to me.
One thing I learned from my experience is that it's better to err on the side of caution. I know some people think these detectors are overkill, but after my scare, I'd rather be overly cautious than risk something serious happening. Plus, they're not even that expensive compared to the peace of mind they give you. I mean, we spend money on smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors without a second thought—why not gas detectors too?
Anyway, I'm still figuring out if I've got mine in the perfect spots or not, but at least I sleep a little better knowing they're there.
Yeah, those detectors are definitely worth it. Had a similar issue at my place—turned out the gas line behind the dryer wasn't tightened properly after installation. Nothing major, but enough to make me paranoid for weeks. Placement was tricky for me too...ended up putting one near the dryer and another by the furnace. Instructions were pretty useless, honestly. But hey, better safe than sorry, right? Peace of mind is priceless, especially when it comes to gas leaks.
I had a similar experience, but placement was tricky since gas tends to rise. Ended up putting mine higher up near the ceiling. Curious—did you find any info on optimal detector height? Instructions were vague on that for me too...
Yeah, the instructions on mine were pretty vague too—just said something like "near potential leak sources," which didn't help much. From what I've seen, natural gas (methane) tends to rise, so higher placement makes sense. But propane actually sinks, so lower placement is better for that. Had a client once who installed theirs near the floor for propane and it worked perfectly during a leak. Seems like manufacturers could definitely be clearer about this stuff...
"Had a client once who installed theirs near the floor for propane and it worked perfectly during a leak."
Interesting point, but I wouldn't always rely solely on placement height. Had a call-out once where the homeowner had their propane detector properly installed low near the floor, but it didn't trigger immediately because the leak was actually behind cabinetry. The gas pooled in an enclosed space first before slowly seeping out. Luckily, they smelled it early enough to call us in, but it got me thinking—placement isn't everything. Airflow, furniture layout, and even room shape can drastically affect how quickly detectors pick up leaks.
Manufacturers definitely could be clearer, but maybe it's also worth considering multiple detectors or at least periodic checks around enclosed spaces. I've seen some setups where folks put one detector lower down and another higher up just to cover their bases... might seem excessive, but after seeing how sneaky leaks can be, it's not a bad idea to think beyond just height placement.
