Is it normal for a brand new exhaust fan to leave the ceiling soaking wet?

That sounds like a classic case of a blocked duct or a fan that simply isn't powerful enought for the static pressure of your ventilation setup. A brand new fan shoud absolutely be able to clear a small ensuite in under twenty minutes, expecially with the door left wide open. If you have visible drips on the door frame and a shiny ceiling after an hour, the air isn't moving at all. It doesn't matter what the electrician said about the rating if the installation itself is choked. You should first check the exterior vent while the fan is running. Go outside and see if the slats are flapping open or if you can feel a strong breeze coming out. If there’s barely any air movement there, the ducting might be kinked in the attic or the flapper on the fan housing itself might be stuck shut. Sometimes installers forget to remove the tape holding the damper closed for shipping, wich prevents any air from escaping regardless of how fast the motor spins.

Another thing to look at is the **CFM rating** and the duct size. If the electrician installed a cheap builder-grade unit with a 50 CFM rating and attached it to a long, flexible duct run with multiple bends, the fan won't have the guts to push that heavy, moist air out. For a small bathroom, you realy want somthing like a Panasonic WhisperCeiling rated for at least 80 or 110 CFM. Those units handle static pressure much better than the basic ones you find at big-box hardware stores. Pop the plastic grille off the ceiling unit and look for a model number or a small toggle switch. Some modern fans have adjustable speeds where you can select 50, 80, or 100 CFM. It might just be set to the lowest factory setting. But if you see the motor spinning and you still have a sauna, call the guy back. It’s likely a **venting restriction** or a massive under-sizing issue that needs to be addressed before that moisture causes mold growth on your ceiling or rot in your door frame.

Totally agree, that much moisture is a disaster for your woodwork. Since you mentioned the drips on the door frame, definatly check the top edge of the door leaf once it dries out.

Most guys forget to paint or seal the top and bottom edges during installation. If that raw wood keeps soaking up the steam the fan isn't catching, the door is going to swell and start sticking in the jamb before you know it. It’s a quick way to ruin a perfectly good frame while you're waiting for the electrician to fix the ducting.

Man, that's rough. If you're seeing drips on the wood, you're gonna have a warped door real fast. Grab a square of toilet paper and hold it up to the grill while it's running. If it doesn't suck it up and hold it there, the fan's doing zilch. I've seen guys "install" these and just let 'em blow right into the attic insulation 'cause they're lazy. If that's what's happening, you aren't just ruining your door, you're gonna end up with a moldy roof too. Don't wait, call 'em back.

I'm still learning about how these systems work, but is it posible the door itself is part of the problem? You mentioned the wood frame getting wet, and it made me wonder if the gap at the bottom of the door matters. If the door is closed, does the fan need a big space underneath to pull in fresh air? I don't know much about CFM ratings yet, but coud a tight-fitting door basicly choke the fan even if the ducting is clear?

While previous posters focused on the fan's volumetric flow rate, I’m more concerned about the specific condensation patterns on your door frame, as moisture accumulating on the header suggests that the door's finish is failing to provide an adequate vapor barrier for the underlying substrate. If those frames are made of medium-density fiberboard rather than solid timber, even a few weeks of this enviroment will result in irreversible swelling at the miter joints where the exposed end grain is most vulnerable to capillary action. You realy ought to inspect the top of the casing with a flashlight to see if moisture is pooling behind the decorative molding, as that typically leads to hidden structural rot.

Quick update — I tried that toilet paper trick and it barely moved, let alone stuck to the grill. I also checked the top of the door like you suggested and it’s definitely raw wood. Since the fan isn't pulling air, I'm realy worried about it warping now. Do you think it’s more likely a duct blockage or just a cheap, weak unit?