Sadly experimenting is really the only way you will know for sure.
Though I have both a rhp and uth, do not think that you need both. I have them both because....well, because I do. I went with the rhp's thinking they would heat the cages by themselves but my house was just to cold, because I like it cold. Being that uth are pretty cheap I went ahead and added one to each cage just for more options.
Since my house is to cold I closed the vent and heat the room. I keep the room around 75-77 with the heater and leave the uth and rhp on to give my snakes a nice hot spot if they decide they want it. Im sure they would be happy with either and really do not require both. Like I said my BRB hardly ever is found in the warm zone and my big Blood girl only visits it occasionally. I have tried different temps and configurations but the results were always the same with them.
Even my thicker pvc cage for my gtp would not get warm enough with the rhp alone. In the end a rhp just does not do what I need in the size cages I have. Im left with heating the room but I really don't mind and its much better than using a bunch of heat bulbs as I did before.
If I had it to do over again and knew I was going to be heating a room I would have saved the money on the rhp's and use uth's. However I do like them and for my GTP it is a must. But if you are trying to save some money it may not be the best option for you in a cold home.
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