ZnO nanorods for gas sensors were prepared by a hydrothermal method. The ZnO gas sensors were fabricated on alumina substrates by a screen printing method. The gas-sensing properties of the ZnO nanorods were investigated for $CH_4$ gas. The effects of growth time on the structural and morphological properties of the ZnO nanorods were investigated by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. The XRD patterns of the nanocrystallized ZnO nanorods showed a wurtzite structure with the (002) predominant orientation. The diameter and length of the ZnO nanorods increased in proportion to the growth time. The sensitivity of the ZnO sensors to 5 ppm $CH_4$ gas was investigated for various growth times. The ZnO sensors exhibited good sensitivity and rapid response-recovery characteristics to $CH_4$ gas, and both traits were dependent on the growth time. The highest sensitivity of the ZnO sensors to $CH_4$ gas was observed with the growth time of 7 h. The response and recovery times were 13 s and 6 s, respectively.