I have a tower fan, which is quiet and effective. However, the thing that has made the most difference is a ‘sail’ that throws shade onto my rear ground floor windows. My house is almost exactly east / west. I get sun on the front in the morning, a brief respite in the middle of the day while the sun is overhead and then, when it is at its hottest, it shines straight into my kitchen and living room. The sail is an awning that can be fixed in any position, usually either rectangular or triangular in shape. Mine shades my French windows and kitchen door perfectly and makes a huge difference. A cheap and adaptable way to help reduce the heat. I got mine from Amazon.