Newbie defect question

[Doggo]

Hey guys! So I'm a bit of a newbie looner still, but have managed to have a few unexpected premature pops. It's been making me check my balloons more now for defects for sure. I found an old thread with some good info, but I'm still a little unsure what I should really be concerned for. Any tips?

Also I've seen the term "church windows" thrown out there but what exactly is that? On a lot of balloons, I'll see a tiny little light spot about the size of a pin head. Is that the same thing?

[BalloonBoyUK]

Re: Newbie defect question

Basically a "window" (or "church window") is a defect in a balloon, where the latex is thin/uneven by comparison to the rest of the balloon, possibly of a rectangular or square shape, and appears to be like a "window".

It'll be in the main body of the balloon, and when you start to blow the balloon up, you'll see the "window" appear. If you aren't careful, there's a chance the balloon will distort in shape, or the "window" will stretch, and eventually pop, due to the weakness in the area of it.

Sometimes "windows" aren't window-shaped, but may be small circular shapes instead. Either way, the same principle applies. When you get a new balloon, blow it up slowly and carefully, and when it's about half of its rated/intended size, stop, and check it over. Defects, if there are any, will soon be noticeable.

If there are any, then it's up to you to decide whether you keep trying to inflate it, discard it, or just tie it off at the currently-inflated size. I had this issue, over Christmas, with a 36" Qualatex white round. A circular "window" was in the middle of the body of the balloon, and I had treated it with Hi-Float, and was filling it with helium. Once I noticed the issue, I simply decided best to not inflate it any further, and just tied it off, at about 16" in size, rather than waste it, or risk inflating it further and have it pop on me.

The other defects, are pinholes: actual pin-sized holes in the latex, where the rubber hasn't formed properly, and as you start to inflate the balloon, you'll either have it pop, or you'l hear gas/air leaking from it, inspite of you keeping the nozzle of the balloon tightly closed off. If that happens, again, you can either risk blowing it up more, and hoping it doesn't pop (though it almost always will eventually), or discarding it.

Hope this helps you out a bit.

[Casey88]

Re: Newbie defect question

In my opinion, unprinted or plain balloons may have these defects more than printed balloons. Because in printed balloons, they have to inflate them up to 70% of its rated size to be able to print the design on the balloons before deflating it back. Hence its "safer". Of course, this does not mean printed balloons will not have this defect, but you have better odds compared to unprinted ones.

[Seidenki]

Re: Newbie defect question

Just for further information, these defects are often from air-bubbles in the latex dipping tanks. Which is basically a process quality problem. This is why we like the brand name balloons we do as they have the processes to keep that problem to a minimum.