Photo from a FirstEnergy educational video Mylar balloons— and their metallic coating — have been responsible for over 350 power outages in the last three year in the FirstEnergy service area. Officials encourage customers to be vigilant to prevent balloons from getting loose and potentially entangled with electric lines.

This weekend marks one of the most popular weekends of the year for the mylar balloon — Valentines Day.

But those foil, metallic balloons have been responsible for hundreds of electric outages in the region in recent years.

In short, the metallic coating on the balloons conducts electricity. When those balloons come in contact with electrical wires, a fiery outage can be the result.

Talk about an electric — potentially explosive — Valentine’s Day.

“Many people don’t realize the metallic coating that make the balloons shiny and flashy is a natural electrical conductor,” Todd Meyers, spokesperson with First Energy told the Times Observer. “Fly-away foil balloons can contact electrical equipment, causing damage and power outages. That’s no way to celebrate Valentine’s Day!”

Last year alone the balloons were responsible for 132 power outages across FirstEnergy’s six state service area, a 25 percent increase over 2019. A total of 355 outages have been brought on by balloons in the last three year, including 20 in the area covered by Penelec.

A release from the company asked customers to “fill the air with love, not helium-filled balloons this Valentine’s Day.”

“Although these balloons are fun and festive,” Lisa Rouse, FirstEnergy’s director of outage management, said, “it is important for people to handle them properly so they do not get released into the sky and impact electric service.”

According to the company, Valentine’s Day “marks the onset of a dramatic increase” in outages caused by the balloons “that peaks in June, when warm weather takes celebrations and picnics outdoors. The spike in balloon-related power outages last year is likely attributed to drive-by celebrations during the pandemic.”

They report that many correspond with graduation parties, as well.

Tips to make Valentine’s Day less explosive include securing the balloons to keep them from floating away and to puncture balloons once they’re no longer in use. They also caution people not to try to retrieve balloons, kites or tors from power lines and instead to report the problem to FirstEnergy.