Transportation & Public Facilities

Residential Sound Insulation Program

Program Overview

The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) is committed to making a positive contribution on the lives of Anchorage residents by sound insulating homes against aircraft noise. The Airport is working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Municipality, Anchorage residents, and civic and community leaders to help reduce the impact of aircraft sound in homes surrounding the airport with the Residential Sound Insulation Program (RSIP).

Since 2001, ANC has sound insulated over 700 units that are impacted by aircraft noise. Participants in the Program experience a reduction in aircraft-generated noise inside their homes by having improvements such as installing acoustically rated windows and doors. These improvements are paid for by the FAA and ANC and there is no direct cost to the property owner.

If you have any questions regarding the program, eligibility for the program, scheduling participation, materials or warranty issues, please contact our office and we will be glad to assist you.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Residential Sound Insulation Program (RSIP), homeowners must meet the following requirements:

Program eligibility includes individual homeowners, non-profit organizations and commercial landlords whose mixed-use property includes single and multi-family residential zoned units.

The property must be located in the FAA's eligibility area as designated in the Anchorage International Airport's FAR 150 Noise Compatibility Program and approved by the FAA in January 2000. Residential properties between the 65 DNL and 70 DNL contours are included in the Program.
Public Open House Meeting Feb 29th 201278 kb

The property must have been built prior to October 1, 1998.

Homeowners will be asked to correct any life safety code deficiencies that may be observed during the design survey visit and to close work from open or expired permits prior to getting assigned to a construction Bid Pack for the Program. In RSIP standard terminology such items are called pre-work. All pre-work shall be completed at the homeowner's expense.

Homeowners must enter into legally binding agreements with the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. The agreement will include a Participant Authorization Agreement and an Avigation Easement. The legal documents must be completed prior to any work on your property and once signed will be recorded on your property deed. Failure to complete the agreements within the required deadline may result in delaying sound insulation treatment or the removal of the home from the Program.

Is my Property Eligible?

Timeline

You have received notification from the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport that your home has been selected to participate the Residential Sound Insulation Program. Now what?

Application and Agreement

The notification packet you received invited you to participate in the Residential Sound Insulation Program. It contained an Application form and a Homeowner Participation Agreement. Please have all property owners sign and date both of these forms and mail them back to the RSIP office as quickly as possible so that your home can be evaluated for inclusion in the next available phase of construction.

When the next phase of construction begins, you will be contacted by the Project Manager to schedule an assessment visit by the technical team. The assessment team is composed of a technical draftsperson, an architect, an engineer, and a team leader. The visit will take approximately 2 hours. The team will take photos, measure and verify the placement of existing windows and doors, examine the structure, and review the existing electrical and mechanical equipment. While measurements and inspections are being done, the team leader will review the Program, products, styles and colors, and answer any questions you may have.

Homeowner pre-work items are identified during the initial design visit. Pre-work items include life-safety issues and items that would ensure that the home would pass Municipality inspection regarding the structural integrity of the property for the purpose of meeting Municipality codes. You will be notified in writing of any issues that must be addressed prior to the start of construction at your home. Once you have resolved any identified issues, you should contact the RSIP office in order for the process to continue.

Following the assessment visit, the team will prepare floor plans, window and door schedules and describe recommendations for the homeowner. If no pre-work was identified, you will be invited to a Homeowner Design Review at the RSIP office, to meet with a member of the design team to review the recommended acoustical treatments. You will also choose the styles and colors of doors and windows. All selections must be initialed and the recommendations and selections worksheet signed by the homeowner. If the house is determined to have "special conditions" that will require follow up information or other visits, conditional treatment recommendations will be discussed with the homeowner.

View a Sample Design

Homeowners will also sign the official Avigation Easement paperwork and have their signature(s) notarized at this appointment.

Once approved by the homeowner, all of the data that has been gathered is then turned over to the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport for their approval of the acoustical treatment recommendations. After their review and approval of the design, the home is placed into the next available bid pack for construction.

The sound insulation treatment of your home will soon begin.
To make this experience as pleasant as possible, the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport has hired C. Kell-Smith & Associates Inc. (CKSA), to serve as Construction Managers and as your advocate during construction. CKSA will support and work under the direction of the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

Sequence of Construction Activities

Contractor Measurement Walk-Through

Once the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport has advertised a bid pack for construction, and a contractor has been awarded the contract, you will be contacted by CKSA to schedule a Measurement Walk-through (MWT). The Contractor and Construction Manager will visit your home to make construction assessments and take the necessary final measurements for ordering windows, doors, electrical and ventilation equipment. The construction work typically starts 4 months or longer after the MWT due to the long lead time necessary to procure of the specific acoustical products for your home.

Notification of Scheduled Construction Date

Approximately four to eight weeks from the "Contractor Measurement Walk-through", you will receive written notification of the date construction is scheduled to begin at your home. There will be a minimum of two weeks between the date you receive the written notification and the date construction will begin at your home to allow you time to make the necessary preparations.

Pre-Construction Walk-Through

One week before construction is to begin at your home, we will inform you of what you need to do to prepare for construction. At this time, our Construction Manager will designate an individual as your Inspector, who will be responsible for coordinating and approving the Contractor's work at your home. Some of the items for which you will be responsible to prepare your home for construction are as follows:

Homeowner preparation items must be completed prior to start of construction.

You must remove all curtains, draperies, blinds, or shutters from windows and doors.
You will be responsible for moving furniture away from window and door areas to allow for a minimum of 48 inches clear working area in front of and on each side.
You will be responsible for removing belongings stored in attics and behind second floor kneewalls that are to receive insulation.
You will be responsible for removing fragile items from the walls or shelves and storing them in a safe place. Vibrations from construction activity may cause them to fall. Also, please remove all valuables from the work area and secure them during the construction process.
If your home has a security system, you will be responsible for contacting your service provider to have the system components at windows and door removed. At the completion of construction, it will be your responsibility to contact your service provider for the reinstallation of any system components. Any charges from your service provider for this work will be your responsibility.
It will be your responsibility to remove and reinstall any window air conditioning units and/or through window vents. The reinstallation of any vents should be through the walls and not through the new windows.
It will be your responsibility to reinstall any electrical door locks.

Note: If you are physically unable to perform any of the above mentioned homeowner work items and cannot rely on friends and relatives to assist you, contact the RSIP office at (907) 245-1515.

Construction

All construction at your home is typically completed within 10 to 20 working days depending on the size, complexity and work performed at your home. Consecutive working days from the start of construction are not always possible, but the Construction Manager and Contractor will work and coordinate with you to ensure all appointments are being met. A working day is considered any weekday, Monday through Friday, except holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

You will be required to make your home accessible to the Contractor during this period of construction. Please be advised, you or your representative who can speak on your behalf should be present in your home during the construction phase.

What to Expect

As with any construction process in the home, the homeowner can expect some disturbance. Although the contractor is very careful to perform the work in the least intrusive manner possible, sometimes disturbances cannot be avoided.

During the construction in your home, some of the following disruptions are possible:

Excess dust/dirt in the home
Noise during the construction work hours
Contractors and inspectors in and out of the home

During the treatment of your home, the Contractor will be responsible for the following:

Use of drop cloths and runners in construction areas and along access routes. Clean up of construction areas at the end of each work day including, but not limited to, vacuuming and removal of all construction debris.
No exterior wall openings left overnight without the installation of a door or window that can be secured.
No overnight outages of electrical power or heating.

We ask that homeowners be patient during the construction of the home. This program is a benefit to the homeowner and allowances should be made for the disruption of normal life for the duration of construction. At the same time, the contractors will also be instructed to be patient and realize they are working in another person's home.

Note: We advise that you place valuables or items of personal worth in a safe location during the hectic construction period to better protect them from accidents or damage.

Inspection and Final Acceptance

During construction, inspections of the installation of doors, windows, insulation, mechanical and electrical equipment will be performed on a daily basis by the Inspector.

At the end of construction, the Construction Manager will schedule a final walk-through with the homeowner, Inspector and the Construction Manager. Any unsatisfactory or incomplete work items will be identified via a punchlist and communicated to the Contractor for resolution.

Once the Contractor has completed the work items identified in the initial inspection, he will notify the Construction Manager or Inspector who will conduct another inspection. If the Construction Manager or Inspector verifies that these work items have been satisfactorily completed, your home will receive final acceptance. If the work items have not been completed, the Contractor will be directed to do so, and another final inspection will be conducted. If you want to participate in these inspections, you should advise your Construction Manager.

Contacts During Construction

Your primary contact is your assigned Construction Manager, once the Measurement Walk-through has been completed at your home. Should you not be able to contact your assigned Construction Manager, or wish to speak to the Project Manager directly, you may call the RSIP office.

Residential Sound Insulation Office Hours:
Monday through Friday – 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
(907) 245-1515

If you are dissatisfied with the services or responsiveness of the Construction Manager, you are encouraged to call Melanie Arnolds at (907) 266-2171.

Warranty Information

Homeowners are provided a one-year workmanship warranty on all program installations, and will receive a warranty package upon completion of construction. During this one-year period following the program acceptance of work at each residence, CKSA will act as a clearinghouse for whatever warranty concerns for repair or service may be raised by the homeowner. CKSA investigates all such requests and contacts the appropriate contractor to provide repair/service where required. After this one-year period, the homeowner will be instructed to contact the manufacturer or the manufacturer's service representative directly for any warranty issues. A listing of key contacts for each manufacturer will be provided to the homeowner along with the warranty package.

RSIP Office

The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport has established a Residential Sound Insulation Program office to address any questions or concerns you may have about the program. The RSIP office is located at the airport in the North Terminal on the 2nd Floor. The office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Residential Sound Insulation Program Office
4600 Postmark Drive, North Terminal
Suite NB206
Anchorage, AK 99502
907-245-1515
rsipanchorage@kell-smith.com