If you are tight on time, or you simply don’t have the space to put balloons in your car, inflating your balloons at home is a great option.
Balloons are a great source of color and fun!
I personally always have balloons on hand, ready to inflate. I have three young boys who LOVE balloons.
Every year on their birthdays, I blow up dozens of balloons to cover the living room floor as a surprise for when they wake up. There’s no easier way to bring joy to a kid than giving them a bunch of balloons to charge into in the morning.
Balloons are great for parties, as well. Helium-filled or air-filled, a party isn’t quite complete without balloons.
Luckily, there are options that allow you to inflate your balloons without ever leaving your house.
Here are 5 easy ways to inflate your balloons at home!
1. Use a Helium Tank At Home for Floating Balloons
Filling balloons with helium is a popular choice. But, it can be a tough task to transport balloons from the store to your house.
Purchasing a helium tank is the perfect way to inflate your balloons at home if you want them to float!
Helium Tank Options
Small helium tanks can be purchased at your local party store, grocery store, department store, or online. Depending on the tank size, they range anywhere from $25 to $65.
A small tank holds enough helium to inflate a dozen 12 inch latex balloons or 14 Mylar balloons.
A large tank holds enough helium to inflate approximately 21 latex balloons or 24 Mylar balloons.
You have the option of purchasing just the helium tank, or you can purchase a helium tank kit. The kit comes with balloons and ribbon.
If you purchase a tank without accessories, you will need to make sure you are prepared with a few extra items. Other than the balloons, you will need ribbon and balloon weights.
If you do not have balloon weights, have a plan for where your balloons will be safely secured. It is important to weigh down or secure helium-filled balloons so they do not float away.
Learn more about the importance of using helium-filled balloons responsibly.
How to Use
Helium tanks are very easy to use. You simply rotate the knob on top to open up the tank, place the balloon around the nozzle, and then push up or down to release the helium into the balloon.
Once the balloon is filled, clamp it with your fingers, take it off the nozzle, and tie it. Next, tie the ribbon around the end.
The easiest way to attach the ribbon is to put the balloon under your arm or in between your legs. Next, cut the ribbon to the desired length and attach the balloon to the weight.
Mylar balloons are blown up the same way. However, they are self sealing; only the ribbon is needed.
Keep in Mind Float Times
Latex balloons usually float up to 8 hours. So, try not to blow up the balloons too far in advance of when the party starts.
There are products available to purchase that extend the float time of latex balloons, if desired. Mylar balloons will float for several days.
2. Inflate Balloons Using an Electric Air Pump
If you do not need your balloons to float, then the next best option is using an electric air pump.
They are sold in stores and online and are relatively inexpensive, usually selling for around $20. If you inflate a lot of balloons, it’s a worthwhile investment!
How to Use
You simply plug it in, put the balloon over the nozzle, and press down. The balloon will fill up with air in seconds!
This works for latex or Mylar balloons, although it is best for latex.
Many electric pumps have more than one nozzle, which allows you to fill two balloons at once. You can have dozens of balloons filled up within minutes.
I recently used my electric pump to blow up nearly 75 latex balloons, and it took less than 10 minutes!
3. Use Your Air Compressor to Inflate Balloons At Home
If you do not want to spend the extra money on an electric pump, but you already have an air compressor at home – use it to inflate your balloons!
How to Use
You will need a specific attachment to go on your air compressor hose: a blow gun.
With the blow gun, you insert the balloon on the end and squeeze the trigger. Simple!
Assuming your air compressor has air compressed and ready to go, it’s as easy and as quick as using the electric pump.
This will work with Mylar balloons, as well!
4. Inflate Balloons Using a Hand Pump
For less than $5, a hand pump is a cheap way to inflate balloons with air.
How to Use
Using a hand pump is easy. Put the balloon on the end and pump.
It can be quite the arm workout, but it does save your lung capacity!
Hand pumps are probably best for blowing up a small amount of balloons. It can be a bit time consuming as it is not as efficient as using an electric pump or air compressor.
5. Inflate Balloons Using Your Lungs
Perhaps the most obvious way to blow up a balloon is the most old-fashioned way: using the air from your lungs. This isn’t the quickest or easiest way, but it is free and readily available.
Fun fact: it takes roughly 3-4 large breaths of air to fill a 12 inch latex balloon.
Depending on how many balloons you need to blow up, it could take a lot of lung power. It’s easy to get lightheaded, so take your time!
Mylar balloons can even be blown up with air. Some Mylar balloons come equipped with a straw that can be used to blow them up.
Or, if you have one lying around the house, you can use that to fill up the Mylar balloons. This is great for Mylar balloon banners or filling large-sized Mylar numbers/letters.
Final Thoughts
These are all great options for inflating your balloons at home!
If you want your balloons to float, go for the helium tank! If you don’t need them to float, my personal favorite is the electric pump.
But, do what works best for you. No matter what you choose, your balloons will be blown up without having to leave your house!
