Have you ever tried to blow up a balloon, and then it suddenly pops for no apparent reason? We’ve all been in that situation. When a balloon pops abruptly, we all get extremely startled. However, if we get over our common dread of loud noises and the disruption caused by a popped balloon, there are some intriguing questions that need to be answered.
Balloons pop because the pressurized air within them escapes nearly instantaneously when an opening is permitted. The speed at which the air escapes is greater enough to produce a small shockwave similar to a sonic boom. If the air within a balloon is depressurized, then this can be mitigated.
How do you stop balloons from popping? Why does a balloon with air pop? Why do balloons pop and not deflate? These are the question we will explain in this article. So, if you’re curious about why your balloons keep on popping, you’re in the right place.
How do you stop balloons from popping?
Inflated balloons are designed to deflate over time. How long your balloon lasts is mainly dependent on the type of balloon and size you intend to use for your event.
You should constantly supply the best circumstances possible to guarantee that your balloon stays inflated for a longer period of time.
Here are a few guidelines to keep your balloon from popping before your event is over.
1. Balloon type
If you don’t want the balloon to pop immediately as it’s inflated, the type of balloon you use is absolutely essential.
Latex inflated helium balloons stay inflated for approximately eight to twelve hours. However, helium-filled Mylar balloons stay inflated for about three to four days.
If you really want your latex helium balloons to stay inflated longer, you can purchase a balloon treatment like Hi-Float Treatment, which is used to prolong the life of your balloons.
2. Size of balloon
Although latex balloons typically last 12 to 30 hours on factors such as size, foil balloons can stay without popping for up to 4 days. However, if you get your balloons from a reliable supplier that exclusively utilizes high-quality materials, they can stay longer.
With an 11-inch Confetti balloon, you rest assured your balloon will stay inflated for approximately 4 to 7 hours, 16-inch balloons about 12 to 18 hours, and 36-inch balloons lasting 2 to 3 days without popping.
As a result, larger balloons seem to deflate at a considerably slower rate than smaller-sized balloons. So, the bigger the size, the better.
3. Gas used to inflate the balloons
Although helium-filled balloons can produce a fantastic overall impact, you can be certain that they will not last that long compared to air-filled balloons.
Helium-filled balloons without the Hi-Float Treatment inside normally last 10 to 12 hours. And depending on the brand, some can stay inflated for up to 3 to 4 weeks. When carried outside, however, the inflate duration can be considerably reduced because helium is temperature-sensitive. Therefore avoiding extreme heat and cold is essential.
Balloons that have been inflated with air can survive much longer without popping. I strongly advise that if you’re planning to inflate your balloons with helium, be as near to your occasion as possible.
4. Balloon treatment
Latex balloons can be made to stay without popping for a longer period by using balloon treatment. Hi-Float and Balloon Shine spray are the common types of balloon treatment often used to increase the inflating duration of helium balloons.
Hi-Float is a proprietary liquid solution applied to the inside of balloons to seal off latex pores, slow down deflation, or prevent the balloon from popping. Latex balloons loaded with helium float 25 times longer using Ultra Hi-Float, while latex balloons filled with air retain their largest size for more than a month.
Balloon Shine spray and Balloon Glow spray are both innovative silicone-based polymers applied around the outside of the balloon, giving it a permanent instant shine to shield it from UV radiation and, therefore, reduce oxidation.
Why does a balloon with air pop?
Have you ever created a balloon arch only to have them all pop within a few minutes? Whether indoors or outdoors, decorating with balloons is always a challenge, especially in hot, humid conditions. Some of the reasons your balloons keep popping are:
- The air pressure inside the balloons is higher than that of their surroundings. This phenomenon is caused by the tension of the balloon’s skin.
- They are subjected to high temperatures. This is because air molecules expand as they heat up. Thus if your balloons continue to heat up, they will eventually pop.
- The gas inside the balloons increases, causing them to reach their maximum limit or capacity. The tension causes the balloons to pop.
- The rubber latex of the balloons is damaged, causing them to pop when inflated.
- Or, you most likely overinflated the balloons.
Why do balloons pop and not deflate?
Why do balloons pop? Why does it pop instantly rather than progressively losing air and deflating, as happens whenever you poke any bag filled with air?
A balloon is typically made of high-grade elastic synthetic rubber (latex and nylon), which allows it to inflate and expand, increasing its size. If you fill the balloon with too much air, the pressure inside the balloon will exceed the air pressure on the exterior of the balloon, causing a lot of tension in its polymer chains.
Polymer latex in the balloon is composed of lengthy chain-like molecules or strands that are connected together. These linkages keep the polymer molecules together and enable them to stretch to a point. When the stress or tension on the cross-links becomes too great, the polymer will pull apart and break.
A balloon’s elastic nature allows it to be expanded up to a degree. However, if that threshold is exceeded, the tension tugging on the polymer cross-links becomes too strong, forcing them to pull apart and break hence popping.
Of course, no balloon is completely sealed. Regardless of how firmly you tie the balloons, the helium will ultimately leak out, and the balloons will deflate. However, the pressure of the helium from the inside of the balloon does not decrease as rapidly as that of the atmospheric pressure. Soon, the pressure inside the balloon exceeds the pressure on the outside. Hence the balloon will end up popping.
To prevent any unnecessary balloon popping, here are a few tips to take note on:
- Only use high-quality latex balloons such as Qualatex balloons in the US or Europe. High-quality balloons reduce the tension of the balloon’s skin.
- If you’re going to decorate outside or in high temperatures, remember to underfill your balloons to a point they can still float and not affect your float time. You can fill balloons up to 8 inches in diameter for 11-inch balloons, 13 inches in diameter for 16-inch balloons, and so on so that the high temperature does not enlarge balloons to the extent of popping.
- Again, for outdoor events, pick bright colors rather than dark ones because black balloons pop most of the time, leaving the white ones in place. You can also use a balloon treatment, such as Balloon Glow spray, to give your balloon a permanent immediate shine and protect it from UV radiation.
Conclusion
If preserving your balloon decorations intact for as long as it takes for your special event is your major concern, don’t stress anymore. In this article, we’ve discussed why balloons pop, how to keep your balloons from popping, and tips to stop unnecessary balloon popping. Similarly, you can conduct your balloon experiment at home before the event. You may monitor the float time of your balloons to determine which ones to use for your event.
