TagSound Insulation(121)

The Port of Seattle responds to Burien's City Council regarding its Sound Insulation Repair and Replacement Pilot Program, explaining that the $5 million program targets homes insulated before 1993 that still measure at or above 45 dB DNL interior noise levels. Of 262 eligible homes in the highest noise zones tested so far, only 5 qualified for repairs, suggesting older insulation packages are still performing acoustically. The Port plans to expand testing to 209 additional homes in early 2026 and may access FAA grants covering up to 80% of design and construction costs.

The Sound Insulation Treatment Repair and Replacement Program Act, introduced by Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09), would allow the FAA to waive a rule that currently prevents federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds from being used more than once on the same home. The bill addresses problems caused by poor-quality materials and faulty installations from early noise mitigation programs in the 1980s and 1990s, which left some homeowners dealing with mold, structural damage, and non-functioning insulation at their own expense. Airports would not be required to participate, but those that choose to could repair or replace defective sound insulation in homes still within the 65 DNL noise contour, provided an FAA-compliant noise auditor verifies the issues stem from improper installation or faulty materials rather than homeowner neglect.

This document is the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, a proposed federal law organizing defense spending and policy across eight divisions covering the Department of Defense, Military Construction, Department of Energy, and other areas. It outlines procurement authorizations for Army, Navy, and Air Force programs, including rules on aircraft, submarines, and unmanned vessels. This legislation does not address airport noise policy and is unrelated to Sea-Tac Airport or regional aviation noise regulations.

In September 2025, acoustical engineers tested 29 homes near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to measure how much aircraft noise penetrates indoors. The study found that none of the homes exceeded the 45-decibel interior noise threshold required to qualify for federally funded soundproofing treatments, though 10 homes had at least one room above that level. The findings are part of SEA's Repair and Replacement Program, which evaluates whether previously soundproofed homes need updated windows and doors.

The City of Burien sent this October 2025 letter to Port of Seattle Commissioners demanding a new, Port-funded program to repair or replace failed noise insulation packages installed in roughly 9,400 homes near Sea-Tac Airport since the mid-1980s. The city criticizes the Port's existing pilot program (SIRRPP) as inadequate, noting that none of the 30 homes evaluated qualified for repair or replacement and that many affected homes fall outside the boundary eligible for federal funding. Burien urges the Port to stop relying on federal or state dollars and instead model a solution after San Francisco International Airport's locally funded approach.

The City of Burien is calling on Port of Seattle Commissioners to overhaul their decades-old noise insulation program after hundreds of Port-installed soundproofing packages in homes near Sea-Tac Airport have degraded or failed with no repairs made. A 2024 pilot program contacted 3,000 homeowners but evaluated only 30, and none qualified for repair under the Port's narrow federal-funding criteria. Burien is urging the Port to fund a broader replacement program using its own resources, pointing to San Francisco International Airport's locally funded model as a potential template.

In August 2025, acoustical engineering firm HMMH measured indoor noise levels at 31 homes near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to assess eligibility for the airport's Sound Insulation Repair and Replacement Program. Testing found that only one of the 31 homes met the FAA's minimum threshold of 45 decibels interior Day-Night Average Sound Level required to qualify for full sound insulation treatment, while seven additional homes had at least one room exceeding that level. The study used FAA-approved methods, including a Boeing 737-800 aircraft noise spectrum, to calculate how much airport noise penetrates each habitable room with windows closed.