My Experience Storing That Helium Tank
Okay, so I ended up with one of those helium tanks after my daughter’s birthday party. You know the kind, not huge, but big enough you can’t just toss it. The party was great, balloons everywhere, but then came cleanup and I had this metal cylinder sitting there.
First thing I thought was, where the heck do I put this thing? Can’t just leave it rolling around the garage, right? Seemed like a bad idea. I didn’t want it tipping over or getting knocked.
So, I started looking for a good spot. My garage gets crazy hot in the summer and freezing in the winter, didn’t feel right leaving it there with the temperature swings. The label, the little bit I could read, mentioned something about ‘cool and dry’. That ruled out the shed too, it’s basically an oven out there sometimes.
The basement seemed like the best bet. It stays pretty much the same temperature year-round, and it’s definitely dry. Plus, it’s out of the way, less chance of someone bumping into it.
Finding the Right Spot and Securing It
I picked a corner down there, away from the furnace and the water heater. Just felt safer keeping it away from heat sources, common sense really. But just putting it in the corner wasn’t enough for me. I kept picturing it somehow falling over.
Here’s what I did to make sure it stayed put:
- Found a solid wall stud: Knocked on the wall until I found a stud, didn’t want to rely on just drywall.
- Attached a strap: I had some strong nylon webbing strap with a buckle, leftover from some old project. You could probably use a strong rope or even sturdy bungee cords, I guess.
- Wrapped and cinched: I wrapped the strap around the main body of the tank, fairly high up but below the valve. Then I looped the other end around a heavy-duty hook I screwed securely into that wall stud. Cinched it tight so the tank couldn’t wobble or tip. It felt really solid after that.
Final Checks
Before leaving it, the most important thing was the valve. I made absolutely sure that main valve on top was closed. Like, cranked it shut tight. Even though the tank felt mostly empty, I didn’t want any leftover helium slowly leaking out. That stuff isn’t cheap, and I figure it’s safer sealed up.
I also put that little plastic cap back over the valve outlet, just for extra protection against dirt or accidental bumps opening it slightly, though I doubt that could happen with how tight I closed it.
So now it sits there, snug in its corner, strapped to the wall. Out of sight, mostly out of mind, but stored safely. Took a bit of effort finding the right spot and strapping it in, but feels way better knowing it’s secure and not just waiting to fall over.