Heat cords...pros and cons? Help ease my mind?

I just got a hatchy python, and am using a heat cord...the heat cords entwined round a cooling rack, and covered in 2 layers of paper towel...i'm monitoring the heat by a theremometer with a probe (the probe's resting on where the snake would sit)...is there any dangers with heat cords? the thing is in the enclosure, not outside and i made sure the snake can't touch the bare cord...is this ok? i can touch the cord with out burns.