Homeowner Application Process
Homeowners are notified of their eligibility through the mail, and sent an application to return to the Airport Authority. Once the homeowner application process is finalized, the first step is complete.

Cultural Resources Survey
The National Historic Preservation Act requires federally funded projects that have an affect on historically significant buildings to maintain the architectural integrity of those buildings. An evaluation of your home will be conducted by the Airport Authority's cultural resource consultant to determine if your property qualifies for special historical preservation treatment. An overview of the special historic treatments can be found in Appendix B of the Programmatic Agreement.

The cultural resources survey consists of research on the history of your property, including the building records, a collection of photographs, and an assessment by the consultant to determine whether or not your home qualifies for this special designation.

Homeowner Information Meeting
Your home is placed on a waiting list of applications based on noise contour level and length of ownership; once you reach the top of the list you will be contacted to participate in the kick-off event for the Program, the Homeowner Information Meeting. This meeting takes place at the Quieter Home Program office where homeowners will hear a presentation on the basics of the Program, have the opportunity to speak with members from the project team (including architects, engineers, inspectors and construction managers), and sign the legal documents (see below).

Assessment Visit
Airport staff will schedule your assessment appointment at the Homeowner Information Meeting. It will last approximately two hours depending on the size of your property. The purpose of this meeting is to inventory and measure all windows and doors, inspect ventilation and insulation systems, and sketch a floor plan. The Program team will need access to all the rooms in your home for a complete inventory. All habitable areas of your home will be treated with products to reduce the level of aircraft noise within the home.

Non-habitable rooms, such as a garage, converted garage, screened or covered porch or patio, or, non-permitted additions or other building code violations do not qualify. After all the pertinent information about your home has been gathered, the Program consultant will begin to carefully craft a treatment design package that meets the Program's design guidelines.

Homeowner Agreement and Avigation Easement
At the Homeowner Iinformation Meeting, participants in the Program are required to execute a "Homeowner Participation Agreement" and grant an "Avigation Easement" to the Airport Authority in exchange for their Program treatments. The easement limits the homeowner's ability to initiate legal action against the Airport Authority for aircraft noise related issues only.

Sample Noise Measurements
Pre- and post-acoustical autdits will be conducted at some homes to establish a basis for assessing the effectiveness of the sound insulation measures to be implemented. The acoustical audit measures the noise level reduction of the home before the modifications are implemented. The acoustical performance of the home is further assessed by measuring noise levels simultaneously inside and outside the residence. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that at least 10% of the homes in each construction group be audited. A member of our Team will contract you if you home is selected for an acoustical audit.

Design Package Developed, Reviewed and Finalized
Window and door selections, modifications to the heating, ventilation, and potentially air conditioning systems, and insulation are some of the important items included in the design package. The Program architect and/or engineers will meet with you to present the specific recommendations for your home, and ensure the design package meets with your approval. During this visit, the Program consultant will provide drawings, photos, and comprehensive information on the doors, windows, and other modifications that have been custom tailored for your home. The Program consultant will explain the details of the products, how they will be installed, and how they will contribute to reducing aircraft noise within your home.

The design visit will last approximately one hour, and you will be asked to sign the design package and the recommendations presented to indicate your approval. A copy of the signed design package will be provided to you for your records.

Contractor measures for materials
Once the public bid process is completed and a contractor is chosen for the group that includes your home, an appointment will be made. The contractor who will install your sound attenuation products will take measurements and begin working with manufacturers to make sure the doors, windows, and other products for your home are a suitable match.

A construction schedule is planned
Program staff will get in touch with you to inform you of your construction schedule, and will work with you as much as possible should you require an alternate date to begin the work. Approximately two days prior to your start date, the contractor and the Program's construction inspector will visit you once again to go over any last minute questions or concerns.

In-home construction begins
Contractors may need as many as 3-4 weeks to complete each respective aspect of your construction, but it's possible the contractors may not be in your home every day. With any construction project, no matter how small, there are impacts. Our goal is to minimize those impacts while still providing you, the homeowner, with a high level of quality and customer service. The contractors will clean all working areas at the end of each day, and will try to minimize interference or disruption to your usual in-home routines. The Program's construction management staff will be in the field during construction, and will visit your home regularly to assist you with construction issues should they arise.

Construction will take place Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Construction will not occur on weekends or federal holidays. Contractors will not remove an existing window or door unless they are able to complete installation of the new window or door on the same day, ensuring the safety of you, your family, and your property.

Construction standards
Contractors are required to return your home to its pre-construction condition. This includes:

• Reinstallation or replacement of window and door trim
• Interior finishes (paint)
• Daily clean up of work areas

For those homes that are historically designated, the consultant team will make every effort to maintain the look and feel of the home to ensure consistency with the regulations for historic structures. The products available for sound attenuation purposes are specifically designed for noise reduction. It is possible the windows that currently exist in your home cannot be exactly matched with sound attenuated products.

Every effort will be made to maintain the look of your home, but some modifications may need to be made to accomplish the full reduction in aircraft noise. This may be a deciding factor for some homeowners on whether they participate in the Program.

Doors
Second to windows, doors that lead from the outside into your home are its weakest noise reduction element. A heavy door with a high-quality seal is the best way to reduce noise that passes through the doorway. However, some doors will not need to be completely replaced. Instead, modifications for better weather-stripping or an enhanced doorjamb may be all that is required. Various styles of wood, vinyl, or aluminum doors may be available, and the finish on the door will depend on the type of door you select. We will work closely with you to help you find a door and finish that best suits your home.

Fireplaces
Fireplaces can be a significant source of noise intrusion. The Program may provide a chimney cap or damper on each operational fireplace in your home.

Product and installation guarantee
Every product installed in your home as a result of the Program will come with a one-year labor and product warranty, but many products will come with a multiple-year product only warranty. For example, windows installed in your home will usually carry a 10-year warranty against defects in manufacturing.

Warranty packages containing manufacturer(s) contact information for all products will be provided to you after completion of construction and post construction survey.

End results
The goal of the Quieter Home Program is to reduce the aircraft related noise levels within your home when all the windows and doors are closed.

The Airport Authority wants participants of the Program to be informed and members of the Program team will be responsive to each homeowner inquiry and concern. We strive to have construction move at a reasonable pace and hope that homeowners regard their Program participation as an overall positive experience. Contractors are expected to perform quality work and the resulting reduction of aircraft noise inside the home will be an improvement in the quality of life for you - the homeowner.

Who to contact for more information
For further questions about the Program, or to determine if your property is eligible, please email quieterhome@san.org, or call the Airport Authority's Quieter Home Program Information Line: 619-400-2660.