Helium FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Our store have helium and we're ready to inflate balloons for your next celebration. We have several options for filling balloons:
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You can purchase select Gonzales Party Store balloons in store and have them inflated before you leave.
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You can purchase uninflated balloons online, then bring them to our store to have them inflated for free. (Just make sure your item says price includes helium and bring your receipt!)
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You can also order inflated balloons online and pick-up in store or get them delivered straight to your door!
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You can purchase balloons from other stores and have them filled at our store for a fee.
When you buy foil & latex balloons from our store, we fill them for free at the store.
If you purchase your balloons from another store, your local Party Store Gonzales Balloons can fill those with helium, too. Helium prices can vary depending on your location, so it's a good idea to visit our store ahead of time. You can expect the following price ranges to fill balloons purchased elsewhere:
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Foil balloons: $1.99 to $15.99, depending on size.
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Latex balloons: $1.25 to $27.99
Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, but you won't find it in the air. That's because this gas is so light that it quickly rises into space. Strangely enough, the helium we find on Earth is actually trapped underground along with natural gas! Helium production is a byproduct of the natural gas industry, but there are relatively few places where helium is concentrated enough to successfully extract it. About 75 percent of the world's supply comes from just three areas – one in Texas, one in Wyoming and one in the country of Qatar.
The helium shortage was the result of multiple factors. Production plant closures, an embargo in Qatar in 2017 and a gradual sell-off of America's strategic helium reserves have all put pressure on the industry. This, combined with increasing global demand and other factors, led to some of the issues with the helium market.
While helium is abundant throughout the universe, it is a finite resource on Earth. The helium shortage of 2019 doesn't mean that we've run out, though. New sources of helium have been discovered in Africa, and companies continue to search for additional places to mine the gas. It takes time to set up a new mining operation, however, so supplies may continue to be a bit tight.
