According to an old saying, “what goes up must come down.” Unfortunately, that’s not true for either a helium-filled balloon or helium used in leak testing applications.
Since January 2022, there’s been a worldwide shortage of helium. The war in Ukraine has cut off supply of helium from Russia, a leading exporter of the gas. Four of the world’s five largest major helium suppliers were forced to ration the gas for their customers, including manufacturers that rely on it to check for leaks in appliances, auto parts, medical devices and other products.