u/Rhino-H

I’ve heard the common advice that "fans cool people, not rooms," which makes sense on a scientific level, but I’m struggling with the actual "frugal math" of it. With electricity rates spiking this year, I want to know if the energy a fan consumes (even if it's relatively low wattage) truly offsets the cost of running the AC compressor less frequently.

If I bump my thermostat up from, say, 72°F to 76°F and supplement with a floor fan or ceiling fan, am I actually seeing a significant net gain in savings? Or is the difference so marginal that it’s basically a wash once you factor in the fan's constant power draw?

What proportion is the most aesthetically pleasing?

Just using the fan still makes it very hot, but the electricity cost for the air conditioner is too high.