Here are some tricks to using a fan more effectively. Since heat rises, the coolest air in your home will be hovering around floor level. To get it up to where it'll do some good, set your fan on the floor. Place your fan so that it faces the opposite wall from where most of the activity takes place in your space. This approach will drive the air to the surface, where it will bounce off, mingling with the rest of the air and cooling the space.