If it were me, I'd cover more of the screen with plexiglass, leaving a small area on both sides for ventilation. I leave a small cut-out in the middle for lamp usage (on a dimmer). My 100 watt IR bulb is dimmed waaay down to raise ambient air maybe 5 degrees. Ambient is currently 80.4* in my tank. T-stat regulated uth.

I live in NE, as well, and only need to mist once-twice a day to keep it at 60%. He is in shed now, so of course more misting is required (2-3x a day, maybe ) to achieve 70%. I don't see occasional misting as a chore.

Good luck with your decision!