Helium balloons have become synonymous with parties. From birthday parties to high school dances to weddings, a colorful bouquet of balloons signifies festivity. However, because of their delicate nature, most helium balloons last less than a week. Learn the best conditions for inflating and preserving helium balloons as well as other tips to help keep them floating long after the party ends.
Helium is a colorless, odorless, tasteless and nontoxic inert gas that is often used to inflate party balloons because it is lighter than air. According to the law of buoyancy, as long as the weight of the helium and the balloon are lighter than the weight of the air, the balloon will float. Helium, which makes up approximately 0.0005 percent of the air we breathe, is the second lightest element. It weighs 0.1785 grams per liter. Hydrogen is actually the lightest element, but it is extremely flammable.
Early balloons were made of animal intestines. According to Helium UK, a leading supplier of helium in the United Kingdom, professor Michael Faraday made the first rubber balloon in 1824, which he inflated with hydrogen. Helium was first used to inflate balloons some time after World War I, according to Beginnersguide.com. Googles history of helium balloons reports that the giant helium balloons that appear in parades, such as the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade, debuted in 1927. Twister balloons, popular with balloon sculptors, appeared on the scene in the 1950s, and foil Mylar balloons were introduced in the 1970s.
Helium is sensitive to temperature changes. Cold air causes the helium to shrink, which makes the balloon appear to deflate, although it still floats. Heat can cause the helium to expand and the balloon to burst. Latex balloons are also sensitive to light, and balloons of any kind are weakened by dirt and dust. Therefore, the best place to store a helium balloon is a cool, dark room absent of wind and dust.
Ultra Hi-Float and Super Hi-Float are liquid products designed to provide a thin layer of protection inside the balloon that helps helium balloons float 10 to 25 times longer, according to Hi-float.com. Additional ways to lengthen the life of a helium balloon include coating the outside with a silicone spray or hair spray, inflating the balloon at the same temperature as the area of its intended use, and pre-stretching a latex balloon by inflating it with air before inflating it with helium.
Although helium is nontoxic and nonflammable, inhaling large quantities of helium from balloons can be dangerous and can cause asphyxiation. Even inhaling small quantities can cause injury, as the drop in oxygen can cause a person to lose consciousness and fall.
At around 45-50 degrees (or 7-10°C) helium gas starts to contract, so the balloon starts to shrink. It looks like it’s deflated, but it’s not – it just shrunk.
Early balloons were made of animal intestines. According to Helium UK, a leading supplier of helium in the United Kingdom, professor Michael Faraday made the first rubber balloon in 1824, which he inflated with hydrogen. Helium was first used to inflate balloons some time after World War I, according to Beginnersguide.com. Googles history of helium balloons reports that the giant helium balloons that appear in parades, such as the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade, debuted in 1927. Twister balloons, popular with balloon sculptors, appeared on the scene in the 1950s, and foil Mylar balloons were introduced in the 1970s.
Ultra Hi-Float and Super Hi-Float are liquid products designed to provide a thin layer of protection inside the balloon that helps helium balloons float 10 to 25 times longer, according to Hi-float.com. Additional ways to lengthen the life of a helium balloon include coating the outside with a silicone spray or hair spray, inflating the balloon at the same temperature as the area of its intended use, and pre-stretching a latex balloon by inflating it with air before inflating it with helium.
Although helium is nontoxic and nonflammable, inhaling large quantities of helium from balloons can be dangerous and can cause asphyxiation. Even inhaling small quantities can cause injury, as the drop in oxygen can cause a person to lose consciousness and fall.
Helium balloons have become synonymous with parties. From birthday parties to high school dances to weddings, a colorful bouquet of balloons signifies festivity. However, because of their delicate nature, most helium balloons last less than a week. Learn the best conditions for inflating and preserving helium balloons as well as other tips to help keep them floating long after the party ends.
Helium is a colorless, odorless, tasteless and nontoxic inert gas that is often used to inflate party balloons because it is lighter than air. According to the law of buoyancy, as long as the weight of the helium and the balloon are lighter than the weight of the air, the balloon will float. Helium, which makes up approximately 0.0005 percent of the air we breathe, is the second lightest element. It weighs 0.1785 grams per liter. Hydrogen is actually the lightest element, but it is extremely flammable.
Take a balloon filled with helium outside on a cold day, and it begins to shrink.
“It took two times before I realized it must be the cold that was doing it,” Coulter said.
Michelle Coulter worked at Special Occasions Party Supply for about three weeks when a customer first noticed this on her shift.
“We have to explain that to people because when they come in and they get their balloons when it’s warm in here, but when they walk outside they start to look like they’re deflating and they panic,” Coulter said.
“The reason that the balloons deflate in the cold weather is because the helium is denser than the air,” Coulter said. “So when it gets cold the molecules will gather together and make the balloon have less volume.
How do you store helium balloons overnight?
FAQ
How cold does it have to be for helium balloons to deflate?
Will helium balloons be OK in a cold car?
Do helium balloons shrink in heat?
Why did my helium balloons sink overnight?
Do helium-filled balloons deflate?
If you’ve ever left a helium-filled balloon in a cold room or vehicle, you probably came back to a shriveled-up piece of latex. The balloon didn’t actually deflate because the same amount of helium is still inside it. Temperature affects the density of gases such as helium, which is why helium-filled balloons appear to deflate in cold temperatures.
Why do helium balloons deflate in cold air?
Temperature affects the density of gases such as helium, which is why helium-filled balloons appear to deflate in cold temperatures. Cold air doesn’t cause latex helium-filled balloons to deflate, but it does make helium molecules lose energy and move closer together.
What happens if you fill a balloon with helium or air?
Whether you fill your balloons with helium or air you are essentially filling them with a form of gas. Lots of molecules are needed to fill the capacity of the balloon. These molecules are susceptible to temperature. If they get cold the molecules will get smaller and if they get hot the molecules will get bigger.
How does temperature affect helium in a balloon?
When the temperature drops, helium becomes denser. Its molecules lose energy, slow down and move closer together to conserve heat. This decreases the volume inside the balloon. Because the helium molecules are moving closer together, rather than outward toward the shell of the balloon, the balloon shrivels and shrinks.