Editorial Policy

This policy sets out how DECIBEL creates, checks, translates and corrects what it publishes. One policy applies to every DECIBEL website, in every language.

 

1. Scope and responsibility

This policy covers all content on decibel.shop, in all language versions.

That includes product and category pages, blogs, projects and case studies, news, technical documents, customer reviews, newsletters and videos.

DECIBEL PLC and all of its subsidiary companies publish all of these sites and hold editorial responsibility for everything on them.

 

2. Our commercial position

We manufacture and sell many of the products we write about, so our content is not independent, and we never present it as if it were.

• Our products are identified as ours wherever they appear.
• We recommend free fixes, other trades or other approaches when they are the right answer.
• We say what our products cannot do.
• We do not publish affiliate content, sponsored articles or paid links, and we accept no payment or free products in exchange for coverage.

 

3. Editorial principles

• Accuracy before persuasion. Technical accuracy and stated limitations come before promotional language.
• Evidence in context. Every figure is tied to the product, configuration and method behind it.
• Diagnosis before products. We explain the noise source, transmission path and receiving room before suggesting a solution.
• Proportionate language. "Soundproofing" is the everyday name for sound insulation, not a promise of silence. We do not write "100% soundproof", "blocks all noise" or "guaranteed silence".
• Plain and accessible. Short sentences, technical terms explained, clear headings and descriptive alt text.
• Safety first. Where work involves gas, electrics, structure, fire-stopping or ventilation, we say when a qualified professional is needed.

 

4. Who creates and checks our content

 

 

We do not use invented or AI-generated personas or pen names.

 

5. Sources and evidence

We hold evidence for every objective claim before publishing it, and we cite sources readers can check.

 

• Competitor material, forum posts and AI output are never used as proof.
• Sources are linked beside the claim or listed at the end of the article; standards are cited with edition and year.
• Where sources disagree, we say so and explain which we rely on.

 

6. Product and performance claims

Every measurable or comparative claim has evidence on file and states what was actually measured.

• Each figure gives the metric and its standard (e.g. Rw to ISO 717-1, αw to ISO 11654), the tested build-up, the report reference, and whether it is a laboratory, field or predicted result.
  
• Laboratory ratings are never presented as the reduction a customer will hear; we note that flanking paths, workmanship and the building affect results.
  
• "Up to X dB" is used only when X was achieved by the stated configuration, alongside a typical range.
  
• We never convert one metric into another, such as Rw into STC.
  
• Fire performance is stated as the classification and the standard it was tested to. We do not write "fireproof" or "non-flammable" unless a classification supports exactly that wording.
  
• Superlatives, "best seller" labels and customer or project counts are backed by current records.
  
• Claims we repeat from the press, awards or partners meet the same standard.
  
• Product data come from the current datasheet and are identical on every site and in every language.

 

7. Environmental claims

We follow EU Directive 2024/825, which applies in EU markets from 27 September 2026.

• We do not use generic wording such as "eco-friendly", "green" or "sustainable" unless a recognised certification relevant to the claim supports it.
• Specific claims say exactly what is meant, e.g. "core made from [X]% recycled PET by weight", and the evidence is available on request.
• A claim about one component or stage does not imply the whole product.
• Certifications are named with the scheme and certificate number.
• Product, range and category names count as claims.

 

8. Reviews, testimonials and case studies

• Reviews come from verified buyers through Trustpilot, our Google Business Profiles, and our feedback forms. We publish positive and negative reviews alike and remove one only if it is abusive, contains personal data, is spam, concerns another product or comes from someone with a conflict of interest. We never write, buy or commission reviews, and staff may not review our products.
  
• Testimonials are used only with written permission, and we keep the original. They are never edited to change their meaning. A measurable claim in a testimonial needs evidence; otherwise it is presented as one client's experience.
  
• Case studies are published with the client's permission. Measured results (method, before and after) are kept distinct from what the client reported, and we never invent quotes, prices or outcomes.

 

9. AI and automated tools

AI and automated tools support our work, but a named person checks everything before it is published, and DECIBEL holds editorial responsibility for the result.

We may use them to: translate content (section 11), organise research, suggest outlines, summarise our own documents, edit language, draft alt text and write code.

We never use them to:

• Invent or alter measurements, test results, prices, quotes, reviews, testimonials, credentials or sources;
• Create images presented as real DECIBEL projects or products;
• Generate large numbers of pages that add nothing for readers.

Human review. A named person checks every AI-assisted item before publication, including the main body of content, titles, meta descriptions, structured data, alt text and product descriptions.

Disclosure. Where AI shaped content in a way readers would want to know, we say so. AI-generated images carry a visible label and identifying image metadata. AI-written product data is labelled wherever a sales platform requires it.

 

10. Images and video

• Project photos show real DECIBEL work; edits are limited to exposure, colour, cropping and hiding personal data.
• Renders, visualisations and stock images are labelled and never presented as completed projects.
• Product images represent the product supplied.
• We hold permission for every image; people shown have consented, and client premises appear only with the client's permission.

 

11. Translation and localisation

Our websites follow one process in every language:

• Content is translated by an automated system, then thoroughly revised and edited by a human translator before publication.
• The local DECIBEL team checks each version for local compliance and adequacy, including terminology, units, currency and product availability.
• Technical data, ratings and claims are identical in every language.

 

12. How we publish

Every piece starts from a real question people are asking. It is only finished when it is correct in every language.

1. Find the need. We look at what customers, architects and installers ask us, what people search for, and where existing information falls short.

2. Plan genuinely useful content. We decide what would actually help someone understand or solve their noise problem. Where we already cover the topic, we improve that page rather than publish a new one.

3. Expert draft. A DECIBEL specialist writes the text from their own knowledge, project experience and test data, with a source for every figure.

4. AI polish. AI tools may refine wording, structure and readability. They add no facts.

5. Fact-check and sign-off. Another DECIBEL expert checks every technical statement and figure, and the editor approves the piece against the checklist below.

6. Translation. The approved text is translated automatically, then revised by a human translator.

7. Local review. The local DECIBEL team confirms each version is compliant and right for its market.

8. Publish. Each version goes live with its author and sources.

 

13. Content maintenance and review

We review published content periodically and whenever relevant standards, product specifications, safety information or legal requirements change. 

Technical product pages receive priority review after material product or test-data changes. 

Obsolete or unsupported content is corrected, consolidated or withdrawn. Changes affecting technical facts or safety are reflected across the relevant language versions.

 

14. Corrections and feedback

We are always open to feedback and look to make our content genuinely valuable for our readers. Report an error to support@decibel.shop or through our contact pages, with the page, the statement and any supporting source.

• We acknowledge within 2 working days and decide within 10.
• Minor errors are fixed without a note. Material errors are corrected with a dated note: "Last updated: [date]".
• Corrections are applied in every language.
• If you are not satisfied with our response, write to support@decibel.shop.

 

15. Limitations

• General content cannot diagnose a specific building or noise problem, and laboratory results do not guarantee the same result in another building.

• Requirements differ from project to project, so our content does not replace a project-specific survey, design or approval. For that, see our acoustic survey and consultancy services.

 

16. Ownership and contact

• Owner: Diana Nedkova, CMO. Approved by: Tsvetan Nedkov, CEO. Reviewed at least every 12 months.

• Applies to everyone who creates content for DECIBEL: staff, freelancers, translators and agencies.

• Contact: support@decibel.shop · DECIBEL PLC, 1 Industrialna Street, 2140 Botevgrad, Bulgaria.