Balloons Don’t Float When First Inflated

Treated balloons should float straight up when first inflated. If your balloon does not float straight up or leans to one side, then you either have too much HI-FLOAT in the balloon or not enough helium.

If you’re using a 24-oz. or 96-oz. bottle of ULTRA HI-FLOAT, check to make sure you are using the correct restriction clip on the pump.

Make sure the balloon is fully inflated. The balloon should be inflated until it begins to become pear-shaped. A sizing device will help ensure that balloons are inflated to the correct size. Pre-stretching the balloon with air can make it easier to fully inflate the balloon with helium.

Balloons will become more buoyant as the HI-FLOAT dries. When completely dry, a treated balloon will float with nearly the same upward force as an untreated balloon.

If the balloon still does not float well immediately, then either don’t push the pump down all the way or switch to the next-longer-sized restriction clip. That will reduce the amount of HI-FLOAT injected into the balloon (and give a shorter float life).

If fully inflated balloons are not floating well, it may be because the helium cylinder contains a helium/air mixture or because of the altitude.