Foil balloons: the valve that lets you use them twice
A foil balloon is made from polymer film with a metallised coating. The film barely lets helium through, which is why these balloons last for days where latex lasts for hours.
The second property matters more and is far less known. Foil balloons have a self sealing valve, so they can be deflated, folded away and inflated again next year.
How the valve works
Inside the neck sits a flat tube of film. Helium passes in, and the pressure inside then presses the walls of that tube together so nothing escapes.
To deflate, slide a thin straw carefully into the valve and press gently on the balloon. Do not cut the neck. A cut balloon cannot be refilled and becomes rubbish rather than storage.
Store deflated balloons flat, without sharp creases across the printed area. Film remembers a fold, and after reinflation the crease stays visible as a line.
Shapes and sizes
The foil range is wider than latex because film can be sealed into any outline.
- Rounds and hearts, with eighteen inches, about forty five centimetres, as the standard.
- Numbers and letters from forty centimetres up to a metre tall.
- Character and object shapes, usually air filled rather than helium filled.
- Airwalkers on a weight, designed to stand at floor level.
- Clear spheres holding something inside, where the film keeps the shape rigid.
Size governs lift directly. A forty centimetre number barely rises. A metre tall one sits confidently against the ceiling.
A foil balloon is an object rather than a consumable, and that is where the price difference with latex comes from.
Care, duration and limits
Helium stays in foil for anything from several days to a fortnight, depending on size and the quality of the seam. Metallised film also conducts electricity, so these balloons are never released near power lines.
Cold compresses the gas and a balloon carried through freezing air looks half empty. Volume returns indoors and the film is unharmed by the cycle.
Sharp furniture corners and ceiling light fittings are the real hazards. A puncture in film does not close over, unlike a small stretch in latex.
For a delivery across Dushanbe in extreme cold or heat, ask for a bag. The temperature difference between street and flat shows up immediately in the volume, and packaging softens the swing.
JFLOO lists foil balloons separately from latex. Choose between them on duration: latex for an evening, foil for several days and for the box in the cupboard afterwards.
