Well, "done to code" isn't the issue with noise. I don't think insulation between walls and floors/ceilings is standard - that's usually a requested upgrade. And ductwork doesn't really need to be insulated if it's in the conditioned space.

You could try sound dampening pads on the walls and/or ceilings - they come in fairly decor-friendly shapes and colors now. And thick carpets on floors. These will all absorb sound and prevent sound reflections (which is a major source of transmitted noise). Or you could tear out all the drywall and insulate (not really a cost-effective option)!

@sktn77a thanks for the prompt response. Wall to wall carpeting isn't a real solution for us since we are an allergy family (specifically to dust and dust mites) and especially since carpet traps allergens. What about adding spray insulation through holes in the ceiling?

Carpets on the floors, drapes on the windows, art/textiles on the walls will help to reduce echoes and sound transmission to some extent. I'd start there before moving to more drastic and expensive options.

Welcome to open floor plan living, add hardwoods and no carpet, and noise carries....and carries....and carries. I have over 4300 s.f. of hardwood with a lot of open floor plan living, with "upgraded" insulation, including between floors, foam blown, 2x6 wall studs, ..., etc. Ask me about how I feel about the noise with kids in the house. I know silence will come again after they are off to college. We have one small room carpeted, it's the quiet haven. Ear plugs may be in your future. Good luck.

You could certainly inject foam insulation in the walls and ceiling for sound insulation but it will be expensive. Also, as the above poster points out, noise travels in open plan homes - especially if you don't have drapes, carpets and heavy cloth furnishings.

Save the money on foam injection!

Foam insulation is the least effective insulation for reducing sound transmission.

In the above example, the 2" blanket makes no difference at all in STC.Source

By itself, fg insulation between floors or in walls makes a barely perceptible difference in sound transmission. Neither does the much touted rockwool. The one time I used it for a basement apartment, we noticed absolutely no difference--other than itchy fibres everywhere.

Ear plugs, white noise, carpet the floors and walls and ceilings, remote control that will control the volume of any device in the house, or suspended sound absorbing baffles. I challenge anyone to come up with worse solutions.

Insulation is not common between floors or in HVAC . You need to absorb the sound. Carpet, fabric drapes, fabric furniture, pillows, etc. If there is nothing to absorb the sound it will travel the whole house. Especially open concept. I am allergic to dust and have problems when in a home without carpet. Carpet captures the dust and the dust is removed when vacuumed and hard surfaces just keeps it airborne everytime you disturb the surface, like walking across the floor.

I'm sorry you need to figure out how to deal with this. There are so many "architectural features" that people like from a design standpoint because they're attractive but many of them lead to very practical problems. Along with noise in an open concept layout, another is multi-floor atriums/high ceiling areas or large stairways that open to an upper level that make the challenge of balancing heating and cooling temperatures between floors in multi story homes even harder.

Years ago, we were in a house that had the open concept for all but the bedroom area. As we started having kids, it started to be a problem. Couldn't run the dishwasher while watching TV (they were noisier back then). Couldn't talk if the baby was sleeping. We sold that house for an older one that we joked "has lots of doors". We're still here and find that the ability to close the door to the family room, close the door to the kitchen, close the door to the laundry room, etc., works better for us.

And make sure they're solid doors tightly fitted, not undercut an inch because the HVAC designer couldn't be bothered to do better.

If a room doesn't have its own return duct or a jump duct, you need the open space at the bottom of doors.

Jump ducts can transmit sound, placement can be tricky.

Return ducts can be offset and baffled to reduce noise transfer. Just working on that now as current HVAC plan depends on undercuts, which I don't like.

Especially open concept. I am allergic to dust and have problems when in a home without carpet. Carpet captures the dust and the dust is removed when vacuumed and hard surfaces just keeps it airborne everytime you disturb the surface, like walking across the floor.

Sorry this is incorrect. The OP is correct that if allergic you limit any soft goods and that includes carpeting. Dust is not removed completely from carpet when vacuuming. If it was, then carpet would never need to be replaced.

If you have so much dust in your house that it is disturbed every time you walk across the floor, then you have a bigger problem. Maybe check that your house is truly airtight and that your HVAC system is working correctly and that you change your filters regularly.

No question - carpet is worse for people with allergies.

I feel like you have been given one answer which is that the insulation is not the issue. The next answer has to do with sound absorbing materials like carpets and curtains and that is very helpful for sound but may not be an option for you (and your allergies).

So then what can you do? Well that depends on the specific layout and sound issues you are having. It does sound like this is a layout problem (2 story foyer or great room) with a lot of hard surfaces and then there might not be anything you can do that is satisfactory.

But you can address specific problems - if the basement TV is an issue, can a door be put in to close off the basement? Can walls be added?

Other than putting in barriers, you are sort of out of luck.

I would like to point out that I have 90% hardwood with area rugs and an open concept plan. There are occasional issues but overall the house is very quiet. Yes - watching TV while someone is doing dishes is annoying. But worth the trade off in my opinion and not just "looks". I would not do a 2 story foyer or greatroom however and noise is one of the issues. I have had that before and never again.

But we planned specific noise abatement - like 2 doors separating the master suite from the kitchen. I can do pans and put away dishes at 5 AM while my wife sleeps. Similarly, our kid's bedroom is somewhat isolated and we can watch TV at decent volumes in the open greatroom.

Sorry you are having this noise issue and sorry that there may be no solution other than moving or accepting soft materials (and more allergy issues).

We sold that house for an older one that we joked "has lots of doors". We're still here and find that the ability to close the door to the family room, close the door to the kitchen, close the door to the laundry room, etc., works better for us.

I grew up with the parental rebuttal ---

'Hey, close the door - you weren't born in a barn.'

In providing an option to possibly help with this issue you may want to take a look at 'acoustical sound dampening tiles'. Here's a video that compares the various cost of these. To get to the meat of the video skip ahead to 9 min 50 seconds or so.

Perhaps you can change your family’s diet. Allergies are an auto-immune unhealthy state and can be addressed by proper diet. Most doctors know nothing about proper nutrition, and don’t expect most dietitians to understand much either; there is a lot of false information in popular media “propaganda” regarding what to eat.

Start by reading about a Keto diet. Read Dr. Mercola’s daily articles and you will get an idea about proper mineralization, staying away from processed foods, and what can be a balanced diet. Mercola often interviews other people in the diet research world, so it is a good place to expose yourself to the actual science (e.g. soybeans are really not a food ).

Then you can add some rugs and drapes. Although as stated above, the only thing that works acoustically is solid doors in solid walls ( Rockwool does work in this case ).

Maybe something like this would be an option? You could try it in a room or two, and see whether you have any change in allergy symptoms, and noise reduction Stainmaster LiveWell carpet with AllerShield Technology

I once lived on the third floor in a 1920's condo. I had a piano, and played quite loudly. One day I ran into the owner on the second floor and asked her if my piano playing bothered her and she said "what piano?" Later, I had to get into the floor and discovered that there was a double floor, with offset floor joists! They build them well back in the day! Offset studs is the best way to reduce sound transmission between rooms also.

The OP doesn't have that luxury.

But, yes, independent testing backs that approach.

Source P. 50 ff. (Office of Noise Control, California Department of Health Services)

I was in a house one time that was a side by side 2 story duplex with a one story garage at ether end. The second floor was made of precast planks with round tube-like cores. If you were in a garage you could hear anyone talking in the other garage because sound traveled through the plank cores but you couldn't hear it inside the house.

I mention this because I believe its impossible to know how to improve the OP's problem without inspecting the house and looking a the original drawings.