Sizing

Gas tankless water heater for a family of four

Two showers plus a sink or dishwasher at once: about 5.5 to 6 GPM, which a 180,000 to 199,000 BTU unit covers in most climates.

By Tanklessly Editorial · Updated October 2026

The short answer

Four people rarely run four showers at once; plan for two showers and a sink or the dishwasher: 5.5 to 6 GPM. At a 57°F inlet (a 63°F rise) a 199,000 BTU condensing unit holds about 6.0 GPM and a 180,000 BTU non-condensing unit about 4.4 GPM. With 37°F water (an 83°F rise) the condensing unit drops to 4.6 GPM.

Units in the catalog

Rheem RTGH-95DVLN-3 199,900 BTU Natural Gas Condensing Tankless Water Heater, Rinnai CX199iN 199,000 BTU Condensing Tankless Water Heater and Rinnai RX199iN Condensing Tankless Water Heater.

Products mentioned

Questions readers ask

What size gas tankless for 4 people?
Size for what runs at once: about 6 GPM for two showers and a dishwasher. At your winter rise that is usually a 180,000 to 199,000 BTU unit.