In the end, choosing between a 40-gallon and 50-gallon water heater depends on your home's needs. A 50-gallon heater costs only slightly more provides extra hot water and is often the better choice for families or anyone who uses a lot of hot water.
1-2 people: A 40-gallon water heater is typically sufficient. 3-4 people: A 40-gallon heater may work, but a 50-gallon model can provide more comfort, especially during peak usage times. 5 or more people: A 50-gallon water heater is usually recommended for adequate supply. Consider your daily hot water needs:
Oversized water heaters consume more energy than properly sized models, so your utility costs are noticeably higher. Plus, bigger models are more expensive upfront, so you've also wasted money on the initial equipment purchase. The same goes for tankless water heaters that are too big – they waste energy and money.
If you have some plumbing and gas experience, replacing a 40-gallon gas water heater with a 50-gallon model can be a manageable DIY project. If not, hiring a licensed plumber is recommended for safety and compliance with local codes.
If you have a large family or use a lot of hot water, you might consider a 50-gallon water heater. This size is beneficial if someone in your family takes long showers or if you have to do laundry frequently. The initial cost of a 50-gallon water heater will be more than a smaller model.
How Many People Can Shower With a 50 Gallon Water Heater? A standard shower for a single person is around 20 gallons of water. So, a 50-gallon water heater is suitable for a family of three to four people.
For instance, a typical shower uses about 10 gallons of hot water. So, if you have a 40-gallon hot water tank, you should be able to get four average-length showers out of your hot water tank. This also depends on how much hot water you use for other things.
Gas water heaters typically range from $1,100 to $4,000 for complete professional replacement depending on your area and complexity of installation.
Traditional Tank
The water is heated at least once a day to ensure a steady and ready supply of hot water. On average, these water heaters last between 8 to 12 years. They're often affected by sediment buildup. Annual flushing of the tank can help to extend a tanked water heater's lifespan.
In general, a 40- to 50-gallon tank is sufficient for an average household of 2 to 3 people, increasing by 10 gallons per additional person in the home. In a tankless water heater, the capacity is measured by flow rate, calculated in gallons per minute.
A small (50- to 60-gallon) storage tank is usually sufficient for one to two three people. A medium (80-gallon) storage tank works well for three to four people. A large tank is appropriate for four to six people.
Sediment can build up over time in a water heater, shortening its lifespan. To prevent this, you should flush your water heater at least once per year. Flushing will help to remove any sediment that has built up and improve the efficiency of your water heater.
With a low gpm head and full hot you should be able to get 20 min out of 50 gallons. Now you turn down the hot and add a little cold and you should get more time in a less hot shower. If you need more time you could turn up the water heater and use a less hot water to cold ratio. That would get you a few more minutes.
The Lifestory Research 2024 America's Most Trusted® Water Heater ranking is based on 6,547 opinions of people surveyed in the United States over the last 12 months. The most trusted water heater brands in order were Bosch, Whirlpool, Rheem, GE, Kenmore, AO Smith, Ruud, Bradford White, and Rinnai.
A rule of thumb is you'll need a water heater tank that's at least 2/3 the size of your bath tub. Most walk-in tubs range in capacity from 42 to 60 gallons. So, for a 60 gallon walk-in tub, you'd need at least a 40-gallon water heater.
The diameter of the 50 gallon unit is only 2” bigger than the 40 gallon model, and the other dimensions and venting requirements are identical. No venting or gas piping revisions are needed going up from one size to the other.
The Home Depot partners with local, licensed and insured professionals to help homeowners choose the right water heater for their home. If you live within 30 miles of a Home Depot store and call us before noon at 1-800-HOME-DEPOT, our team offers same-day installation.
Typically, both 40- and 50-gallon water heaters last around 10 to 15 years.
Generally, taking a shower uses less water than a full bath. A standard showerhead flows at a rate of 2.5 gallons per minute . This means that a ten-minute shower only uses 25 gallons of water.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Tankless Water Heaters
They can be 8%–14% more energy efficient for homes that use a lot of hot water -- around 86 gallons per day. In some cases you may be able to achieve even greater energy savings if you install a demand water heater at each hot water outlet.
Typically, the rule-of-thumb is that you want a 40 gallon tank for 1 to 4 people, a 50 gallon tank for 4 to 6 people, and a 50 gallon high recovery or 75 gallon tank for 6 to 8 people.
Forty-gallon water heaters are perfect for homes with one or two people or those living in smaller spaces. On the other hand, 60-gallon water heaters are suited for larger families (of three or more) or if you have a large tub or hot tub.
A "normal" shower head is about 2 gallons/minute, plus/minus (it could be a lot more, it's true). 50 gallons gives a total of 25 minutes of showering, say 30 we count the recovering capacity, which is about 15 minutes per shower.