Methods for operating a printing system are provided. In one method, an inkjet printhead that is positioned by a support structure is caused to emit droplets of an ink including vaporizable carrier fluid toward a target area to emit droplets according to image data and a shield is used to separate the support structure from the target area to form a first region between the support structure and the shield and a second region between the shield and the target area with the shield providing an opening between the first region and the second region to allow the inkjet printhead to jet droplets to the target area. The shield is heated to a temperature that is at least equal to a condensation temperature of the vaporized carrier fluid in the second region.