FAQ

Q. HOW LONG WILL MY BALLOONS LAST?

- Latex 12” 9-10 hrs / tested indoors. (room temperature too high or low, will change the duration of float time)

- Latex 12” w Hi-FLOAT - 48hrs/ tested indoors

- Foils 18” 3-4days/ tested indoors ( brands with XL (Extra Life ) will float approx 3 weeks.

- Bubbles- 3-4 weeks/ tested indoors

 

Q. WHAT IS HI-FLOAT?

 Hi- Float is a Product that is used inside a latex balloon to help prolong helium retention. Meaning it slows down the rate of escape of helium from the porous latex balloon.

 

Q. HOW LONG WILL MY BALLOONS LAST IN THE HOT MALAYSIAN SUN?

Latex Balloons with Helium will only last 3-4 hours in the hot sun. This is because the higher temperature seems to increase rate of escape of the helium.

Foil Balloons are not designed to last in the hot sun. This is because Foil balloons have a fixed volume – they will NOT stretch like latex- when heated directly by the sun, the gases in them will expand and cause a sizable tear in the foil material.

 

 

Q. HOW LONG WILL AIR FILLED BALLOONS LAST?

Air-filled Balloons can last up to 2 weeks if left in a cool shaded room.

If left outside in the sun, we have experienced such hot sunshine that the balloons literally melt and bond together. Balloons are latex and if left in the 35 degrees direct sun, they will deteriorate quickly.

 

 

Q. CAN I BUY HELIUM TO FILL MY OWN BALLOONS?

Helium is available at Balloon Buzz. You can bring in your balloons and we can fill them up. However, we reserve the right to inspect your balloons. If the quality is very poor, we would advice you not to fill them with Helium. Helium is far more expensive than cheap balloons.

 

 

Q. WHAT PRICE ARE YOUR BALLOONS?

This is one of the most common questions asked and it doesn't have an easy answer! The price of balloons depends on many factors which include the type of balloon, size of balloon, printed or plain, single or arranged. If you would like a quote please contact us for a quote which meets your individual needs.

 

 

Q. WHY DON'T MY BALLOONS FLOAT?

Balloons don't float for a number of reasons. A balloon must be inflated with helium for it to float. If it still does not float, make sure that you are blowing the balloon up to its full size. An under inflated balloon is the most common reason for a balloon not to float. Do not fill a balloon smaller that 9" with helium as they only float for a few hours.

Some very cheap plastic balloons will not float when filled with Helium / balloon gas. This is due to a poor design and manufacture where the weight of the balloon exceeds the lift of the helium gas.

We have personally come across these same balloons floating when filled with HYDROGEN gas. BUT WE DO NOT USE HYDROGEN. Hydrogen has a higher lift ability than Helium BUT is highly inflammable and dangerous.

 

Q. WHY DOES MY FOIL BALLOON EXPLODE OUTSIDE?

When a foil balloon becomes HOT the helium inside EXPANDS, making the balloon look FULL and TIGHT. FOIL balloons are fixed volume balloons. IE the material (foil) has very little or no stretch.

In Malaysia, your Balloon Buzz balloonist must fill a foil balloon and allow room for expansion. Your balloonist must also warn you against putting the foils into places that trap HEAT eg a car parked in a hot open car park or full sun/ the boot of a car/ in the sun. All these will cause the foil balloon to heat up, the gases expand and eventually pop.

 

Q. CAN YOU REFILL A BALLOON?

A foil balloon can easily be refilled as it does not get tied or sealed. A latex balloon usually gets tied at the neck so can not be refilled unless a ribbon valve is used.

 

Q. WHY DO BALLOONS DEFLATE? 

Both latex and foil balloons are porous which allows the helium to escape from the balloons. Latex balloons are more porous and let the helium escape more quickly than the foil balloons

 

Q. WHY DO AIR FILLED LATEX BALLOONS DEFLATE? 

Air filled latex balloons do not tend to deflate as the particles in air are larger than those in helium, there for last longer inside the balloon. An air filled latex balloon will stay inflated for many months without deflating.

 

Q. WHY DO BALLOONS DEFLATE MORE QUICKLY IN A HOT ROOM THAN A COLD ONE? 

In theory a balloon will deflate more quickly in a cold room as the helium contracts in the cold making it easier for the particles to escape from the balloon. In a hot room the helium particles expand making them less likely to escape from the balloon. Depending on how hot the room is, if the particles expand a lot then this can cause the balloon to pop.

One reason for a balloon to deflate more quickly in a hot room would be that the heat causes the helium particles to move about rapidly and therefore escape at a faster rate. This is not a scientific fact - more what we have found through years of working with the balloons.

 

Q. WHY DO HELIUM BALLOONS DEFLATE MORE QUICKLY THAN EXHALED AIR? 

Helium balloons deflate quicker than air filled balloons because the helium particles are smaller than air particles and so escape through the balloons more easily

 

Q. CAN I PICK UP HELIUM LATEX BALLOONS A DAY BEFORE THE PARTY? 

We would advice you have to pick up your helium latex balloons best 2-3 hrs before your party as without HI-Float, it will only float 9-10 hrs.