Quote Originally Posted by HanabiraAsashi View Post
Not exactly true. If you take a heating blanket, turn it on high and put your hand over it, you'll barely feel anything unless you are directly touching it. Sure there is some heat coming off of the UTH, but it isnt nearly enough to maintain ambient temps.

Sure, another UTH with cool side temps will work because the snake will be in contact with it, but it is different from raising the ambient temp.
I agree with you and Deborah. I'm sure there is a more scientific explanation, but I think it all depends on surface and enclosure areas. For example, my setup... a 15qt tub that I use the lid with, and it's in a rack. I have 4" heat tape on bottom at the rear, and a separate strip at the front. My heat tape covers (in total) probably 75% or more of the bottom of my tub. My front is set around 81 degrees and the rear is set at 90 degrees. This will keep the ambient temps in MY tub in MY room around the high 70's. Now, if I turn off the heat tape under the front half of my tub, the ambient drop to 70 degrees. Only a few degrees difference, as suggested, but in this case, a few degrees can make a difference. If I put my hand into that tub, I can feel the warmth inside the tub.

Now, on the other hand, take the same setup, same heat tape, but with a 32qt tub, and there is almost no change to ambient air regardless of what the heat tape is set to. It's just how much surface area the heat has to dissipate. At least that's my very unprofessional opinion.