Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragonling
In the case of wooden vivs, there is a significantly greater risk of fire if there is not a sufficient air gap between the mat and either the underside of the viv or the surface it's placed on. This is because wood is a fair bit more insulating than glass or plastic and can trap heat much more quickly if not properly ventilated. In the (albeit unlikely) event of a thermostat failure, this becomes a significant risk.
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I understand where you're coming from and agree in theory, but the physics still states that wood needs about 350 degrees to combust. Some of those heat pads get hot enough to be unsafe for an animal but I've never seen one reach 300 degrees even without a thermostat.
I have 2 of them in use right now and a third as a standby and I've checked all 3 by plugging them in for several hours and none of them hit over 127 degrees. In fact the smaller of the 3 only hit 106 degrees. (Of course I use a thermostat on any and all). Bulbs on the other hand will get hot enough to start a fire. I have been blistered before just by touching a bulb for a split second, but I have never been even slightly burned by a pad.