How Long Do Helium Balloons Last?

Everyone loves and enjoys helium-filled balloons, from children to adults. However, the fun never lasts as, eventually, these balloons deflate and lose all their helium. So, how long can you actually enjoy your helium balloons?

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Short Answer

Generally, latex balloons can only last for 8-12 hours, while foil/mylar balloons can persist for a few days up to a week. These values will vary depending on the quality of the balloon, as well as its shape, size, and whether it was first treated by a substance called Hi-Float.

How Long do Latex Helium Balloons Last?

Helium latex balloons last for around 10 hours and slowly start deflating during the next few hours. Latex Helium balloons will not float overnight if untreated with a special coating liquid. It is generally recommended to purchase them the same day as your party if you are worried that they will deflate.

If your event will last a long time, it is recommended to purchase high-quality latex balloons from brands such as Sempertex, Bellatex, and Qualatex. Adding Hi-Float can also drastically increase the lifespan of your latex helium balloons.

How Long do Foil/Mylar Helium Helium Balloons Last?

Foil Helium balloons (also known as mylar) can last from approximately 4 days up to several weeks. Foil balloons with odd shapes (numbers, shapes) tend to deflate a little faster than the average round foil balloon as they contain a smaller amount of helium gas.

Helium foil balloons are safe to buy ahead of time and will last overnight. This is because foil balloons are much less porous than latex balloons and are therefore able to slow down the escape of helium atoms.

As such, even if you fill them up with air, their longevity will be much longer than that of latex balloons. Treatments such as Hi-Float can be added to the balloon to drastically increase its lifespan.

Thinking about making a balloon arch? Here’s our detailed article on how long balloon garlands last.

How to Make Helium Balloons Last Longer?

If you have a party that lasts a long time or wants to have more time to prepare on the day of your party you can use Hi-Float.

This product is a liquid that is inserted into the balloon before inflating it. It creates a layer that seals up the tiny holes where helium escapes. It prolongs the life of latex balloons up to 6 days until it starts deflating.

This is especially useful for large gatherings, and taking stress of preparing everything before the guests arrive.

Why do Helium Balloons Deflate?

Helium gas is a very small molecule that moves constantly and very quickly. These molecules have collisions with each other while being trapped, which inflates a balloon.

Latex is made of long-chain molecules that lie on top of each other, which creates gaps between these layers. Since helium is a very small and gas-moving molecule, it hits the edges of the balloon and escapes through these holes.

On the other side, air-filled balloons contain mostly nitrogen, which is a bigger molecule and has a harder time getting through these gaps, thus lasting longer.

Helium foil balloons do last longer than latex because the molecules have a much harder time escaping the smaller gaps that the foil barrier creates.

Do Helium Balloons Deflate in Cold Weather?

If the temperature is lowered inside a balloon, the volume is decreased which increases its gas density. This causes the balloon to deflate and start sinking. However, when brought back to room temperature, the balloon will expand and float again.

The helium does not escape the balloon when dropping in temperature, as the molecules will gather together. Helium balloons can stay in a cold car, but the shrinking can cause damage to the balloon and makes it more prone to leaks while being reinflated.

Will Helium Balloons Pop in a Hot Car?

The ballon volume will increase because of the heat, which can cause them to pop. Lower quality latex balloons tend to burst faster than foil ones.

Instead of storing them in the trunk of a car, it is recommended to leave them in the backseat with the air conditioner turned on.

If you do expect to keep balloons in a hot environment for prolonged periods of time, you shoulder under-inflate them so they have room to expand without popping.

What is The Best Temperature to Store Helium Balloons?

The best temperature to store balloons is at room temperature. For example, if you inflate your balloons at 10 AM while it’s still pretty cold and leave your balloons outside until your event at 4 PM while it’s really hot, the balloons will shrink in cold temperatures and expand in warm temperatures.

This is because the gas that’s inside the balloon whether it’s helium or air expands with heat and contracts with cold. On the opposite, If you are in a very warm environment and you’re going to go put them in an air-conditioned room, you can expect your balloons to contract and appear smaller.

If you were to take them back out of the cold air-conditioned location and bring them back to room temperature they would expand again.

Similarly, if you set them up in a cold room and fully inflate them, then put them out into a warm environment they are at a higher risk of popping.

You do want to pay attention to maintaining a consistent temperature for your balloons from the time that you inflate them to where you’re actually going to use them.If you do store your balloons outside on a hot day, the darker balloons will pop faster and it is recommended to underinflate them to prevent from them popping.

Will Latex Helium Balloons Last Overnight?

Latex Helium balloons will not last overnight if untreated. It is generally recommended to purchase them the same day as your party if you are worried about them deflating.

How to Deflate Helium Balloons?

Foil helium balloons can easily be deflated. Find the valve and insert a straw and you will feel the air coming out of the self-sealing nozzle. Gently press on the balloon and you will feel the air escaping.

Tip: If you would like to transfer and keep the helium, connect another balloon to the other end of the straw.

Once almost completely deflated start by rolling it out from the opposite end of the valve. It is the same technique used when storing an inflated mattress after use.

Latex helium balloons are harder to deflate because of the knot. If you do manage to undo the tied balloon, you can reuse it for further use but will be more susceptible to defects.

Can You Refill Helium Balloons?

Helium balloons can be refilled, but are more prone to leaks if they were damaged while being deflated. The helium simply needs to be refilled through the self-sealing valve. This is better for the environment as most balloons either end up in the trash after a single use or find their way into the environment and cause damage to the ecosystem.

How to Dispose of Helium Balloons (are they recyclable)?

Since most commercial latex is made of sap of Amazonian rubber trees, you can dispose of latex balloons in the garbage since they are biodegradable. On the other hand, foil balloons are made of nylon that has a metallic coating. They should be recycled along with your other household plastics.

Reuse them as much as possible and do not release them outdoors as they will end up in the environment and are sadly sometimes found in the stomach of animals. Please consider different eco-friendly alternatives before purchasing balloons.