Helium – General Information
Helium is a non-toxic, non-flammable, colorless, odorless inert gas which has unique properties such as low boiling point, low density and high thermic conductivity. Helium is used to fill balloons because it is lighter than air and causes balloons to float.
How much helium do I need?
Download a Printable Helium & Weight ChartUse this chart to estimate helium needs for latex balloons. Volume and lift ability are average estimates. Float times for latex balloons vary widely with temperature and atmospheric conditions. Larger balloons will float for longer periods of time and float times can be increased by using Hi-Float™.
| Description | Volume (ft3) | Lift Ability (g) |
| 5″ Round | .06 | Do Not Float |
| 9″ Round | .25 | 6 |
| 11″ Round | .5 | 10 |
| 11″ Heart Shaped | .3 | 3 |
| 12″ Round | .55 | 11 |
| 16″ Round | 1.5 | 34 |
| 16″ Geo Donut® | .7 | 14 |
| 16″ Geo Blossom® | .6 | 11 |
| 30″ Round | 8 | 184 |
| 3′ Round | 15 | 339 |
| 646 Airship | 1 | 10 |
| 4′ Chloroprene | 34 | 771 |
| 5.5′ Chloroprene | 66 | 2132 |
| 8′ Chloroprene | 267 | 7031 |
Use this chart to estimate helium needs for helium foil balloons. Remember, volume and lift ability numbers are averages.
| Description | Volume (ft3) | Lift Ability (g) |
| 18″ Circles | .5 | 4.2 |
| 18″ Hearts | .4 | 3.7 |
| 19″ Stars | .4 | 3.4 |
| 18″ Junior Shapes | .6 | 4.4 |
| 20″ Panoramic Circles | .6 | 6.0 |
| 20″ Panoramic Hearts | .7 | 5.5 |
| 24″ Drop-A-Line™ Circles | 1.2 | 13.0 |
| 24″ Drop-A-Line™ Hearts | 1.1 | 12.5 |
| 24″ Insiders™ | 1.2 | 11.0 |
| Jumbo Circles | 2.7 | 51.6 |
| Jumbo Hearts | 2.3 | 45.9 |
| Jumbo Stars | 2.5 | 42.0 |
| Large Shapes | 1.3 | 13.0 |
| SuperShape Clusters | 1.4 | 9.5 |
| 3-D UltraShapes | 1.1 | 9.0 |
| 28″ Sing-A-Tune® | 1.7 | 21 |
Use this chart to estimate helium needs for Bubbles™ Stretchy Plastic Balloons. Remember, volume and lift ability numbers are averages.
| Description | Volume (ft3) | Lift Ability (g) |
| 20″ Bubbles™ | .7 | 10.4 |
| 22″ Bubbles™ | 1.0 | 14.6 |
| 24″ Bubbles™ | 1.2 | 7.2 |
Breathing in helium displaces oxygen from the lungs which in turn, deprives vital organs of essential oxygen. This is most acutely seen in the brain which can only manage 5-6 seconds before the person becomes unconscious.
Apart from a high-pitched voice, potential health effects of helium are dizziness, headache and suffocation.
Should anyone experience ill effects from inhaling helium, the advice is to get the person to breathe in fresh air immediately.
If symptoms persist, oxygen may need to be administered, so get medical help urgently.
Warning: Choking Hazard – Children under 8 years can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons. Adult supervision required. Keep uninflated balloons from children. Discard broken balloons at once.
For official information about helium, download a material safety data sheet here.
For official information about Hi-Float, download a safety data sheet here.