Foil balloons with a self-sealing valve are reusable, refillable, or can be topped off with more helium as long as the self-sealing valve does not get damaged, however, manufacturers only guarantee one-time use of products.
Please Note: Most balloons 18-inches or larger have self-sealing valves as well as a few 16-inch balloons (also known as air-fill balloons).
In order to reuse, refill or top off a foil balloon, the ribbon must be tied below the self-sealing valve when you first inflate the balloon. This is the recommended place to tie the ribbon to keep from damaging the self-sealing valve and will give easy access to the valve to re-inflate the balloon.
When reusing or refilling a foil balloon, there is a depletion in float times with each top-up or refill of the balloon. Helium bought from distributors contains a small percentage of air whereas disposable tanks can have up to 20% air mixed in. Air does not escape from balloons as helium does, so each time more helium is added, you are also adding more air into the balloon.
If you do not remove the helium originally used to inflate the balloon there is a chance the balloon will not float because of all the air.
To release the helium from the balloon:
- Insert a medium-width straw into the self-sealing valve.
- Push it all the way into the valve until you hit the end of the valve.
- If you do not hear air escaping through the straw, repeat steps 1 and 2.
- Begin to gently push the rest of the air or helium out of the straw.
- Push out as much air or helium out of the balloon as possible.
Please Note: This process will likely damage some balloons, but you should get several uses out of each balloon.
There are also many decorators and people who love DIY and reuse foil balloons to cover cake boards, weights, frames, wrap gifts, and even to make colourful wreaths, ornaments, purses, etc.
