Making
Balloons Last Longer:
The
factors which will determine how long your balloons will last
are plenty. First and foremost, we have to take the quality
of the balloon into account. Throughout our 15+ years of decorating,
we have narrowed our choice of latex balloons to provide our
clients with nothing short of the industry's top quality products.
There is a product on the market called SUPER Hi-Float, which
we make available to our clients, that increases the float time
of balloons tenfold. How? HI-FLOAT is an aqueous solution containing
a special water soluble plastic. It dries inside the latex balloon
to form a barrier coating which helps hold in helium. This coating
greatly increases the floating life of the balloon. ULTRA HI-FLOAT
increases floating life by about 25 times.
The
following table shows typical floating times for various sizes
of balloons:
Latex
Balloon
Size
|
Latex
Balloon
Type
|
Average
Flying Time
Helium Only* |
Average
Flying Time
Helium and
SUPER HI-FLOAT |
Average
Flying Time
Helium and
Ultra HI-FLOAT * |
| 11" |
STANDARD COLORS |
12-24 hrs. |
4-10 days |
1-4 weeks |
| 11" |
METALLIC &
PEARLIZED |
12-24 hrs. |
4-7 days |
1-3 weeks |
| 14" |
ROUND |
26-30 hrs. |
8-14 days |
2-5 weeks |
| 16" |
ROUND |
30+ hrs. |
14-20 days |
3-7 weeks |
| 18" |
ROUND |
36+ hrs. |
16-24 days |
3-8 weeks |
| 17" |
HEART |
14 hrs. |
2-3 days |
3-8 weeks |
| 16" |
GEO DONUT® |
22-26 hrs. |
3-5 days |
4-12 days |
| 16" |
GEO BLOSSOM ® |
18-24 hrs. |
3-10 days |
3-10 days |
| 24" |
ROUND |
2-4 days |
18-30 days |
4-10 weeks |
| 3' |
GIANT |
3-5 days |
4-8 weeks |
6-20 weeks |
*The
listed average inflation sizes, lift ability and flying times
are conservative averages. Actual flying times vary depending
on temperature and atmospheric conditions.
Heat
and humidity will not only oxidize balloons and make them appear
dull and less vibrant, yet will also decrease their float time
considerably. Heat makes helium molecules very active. Picture
a tiny ball bouncing within the inner balloon walls. Increasing
the heat outside these balloon walls makes the ball bounce faster.
The faster bouncing eventually makes for an escape through the
latex shield.
Apply
this analogy for an understanding of how Hi-Float works. The
Hi-Float liquid, when allowed to dry, creates a barrier inside
the balloon which increases the time it will take for the helium
to penetrate the porous latex. Regardless of its incredible
results, expect the float time of Hi-Float treated helium balloons
exposed to heat and humidity to be cut in half.
For
more information on the Hi-Float line of products, feel free
to phone toll free in the US (800) 57-FLOAT (573-5628) or (502)
244 - 0984
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