Have you been able to maintain correct ambient temps?
It is rare a rack in a cool room can do so. Radiant heat does not heat air, heat tape is a radiant heat source. You ambient air temp and likely the cool side temp will sit only slightly above the apartment temps. This is usually too cool, so you should be looking at a more flexable caging system if you room temp is below the 74ºF. The tape isn't the issue, 4 inch will hold a 90F hot spot, 11 inch will do so too. The cool end will still not be heated, it will be close to the temp of the room. There is a idea among some vets that cool ambient temps are a factor in thermal burns. We also know ambient air temps are critical to thermal regulation, so much so there are people out there whom just use ambient temps, with no hot spot. This cannot work in reverse.
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