F-35 in Vermont: How to soundproof a home against fighter jet noise

The owners of the 2,640 homes in the newly mapped high-decibel zone are looking at a bill of $30,000 or more to insulate their homes against the noise of the F-35 jet.

Burlington International Airport officials are applying for federal money to pay for the upgrades, but construction on the first round of houses will take about two years to get started. Residents of the outer edges of the noise zone will likely wait several years more for their turn.

F-35 in Vermont:Number of homes in high-noise zone triples, sound mitigation years away

The Burlington city-owned airport has never applied to the Federal Aviation Administration for soundproofing money, said Nic Longo, deputy director of aviation.The airport previously offered buyouts to some of its South Burlington neighbors most affected by noise.

The first of 18 F-35A Lightning planes for the Vermont Air National Guard are slated to arrive this fall. Noise made by the next-generation fighter jets poses a threat to the health of people living under the flight path, especially children, and has been a key concern of opponents of the basing.

Windows and doors

The first step to insulating a home: installing thick, triple-plane glass windows and solid wood doors. 

Replacing old, loose-fitting windows that rattle when a plane passes overheard can cut down on a great deal of noise, according to a 2018 guide to sound insulation produced by the city of Chicago. Over 10,000 homes near Chicago airports have been insulated under the program officials hope to bring to Burlington.

"The windows and doors are the weak points," Longo said.

Replacing the doors and windows will often bring the average noise level inside a home down to a level the government considers acceptable, Longo said. 

More:Ben and Jerry's co-founder Ben Cohen arrested during F-35 protest

Homeowners who want to install similar soundproofing measures without waiting for federal dollars are looking at a $30,000 to $50,000 bill, Longo said. 

Walls, air-conditioning and pet doors

If replacing doors and windows fails to cut the noise enough, there are other steps homeowners can take.

Batt insulation, thick rolls of fiberglass, can be layered inside ceilings and walls. The thicker they are, the less noise passes through.

The airport's engineers who will design the soundproofing plan for each home can also remove other "sound infiltration weak points," according to the Jones Payne Group, the city's noise reduction consultants. 

Sound infiltration weak points are essentially a hole in the wall, like a mail slot, a pet door or an exhaust vent. 

Burlington Airport update:FAA won't fully sound proof school, F-35 noise maps delayed, again

Installing a central air conditioning system can also reduce indoor noise levels. Air conditioning units that protrude through walls will let noise in. Effective air conditioning also lets residents keep windows shut tightly in the summer — an open window provides no sound blocking.

It is unclear whether the FAA will pay for central air conditioning, Longo said. 

What if I just want out of this noise zone?

None of these measures will completely block the roar of jet engines from a home, which can reach around 112 decibels.

People who want to sell their homes will have two options. The airport will determine a fair market value for the property. If a resident is forced to sell under the fair market value, the airport will pay the difference.

Residents also will have the option to sell their homes directly to the airport at market value. The airport will insulate the houses and offer them for sale, Longo said. Any profits made from the sale will funnel back into the noise program. 

When will these dollars start flowing?

The airport is still collecting comments from the public on the recent noise map, Longo said. Once officials have submitted the final map to the federal government, they will bring together an advisory committee to plan the insulation and compensation programs.

They plan to hold at least one public hearing while working out the details, including which houses will be in the first group to be eligible for federal money.

Noise testing:South Burlington school officials race to test for noise ahead of F-35 arrival

Longo said they expect to have that plan finalized by the end of the year, and the first houses insulated 12-18 months after that. 

Not all of the homes in the 65-decibel average noise zone will qualify for federal assistance. Airport officials will test the interior sound levels of a sampling of homes about the same distance from the airport with similar construction.

If the sound levels over a day average over 45 decibels, all similar homes will be considered eligible. 

The funding will come in waves of yearly grants. The exact amount will be determined by the FAA budget that year. Burlington will be expected to kick in 10 percent of the total cost.

Contact Jess Aloe at 802-660-1874 or jaloe@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @jess_aloe