Research, technical review, corrections and commercial transparency
Editorial Policy and Technical Review Process
How The Soundproofing researches, reviews, updates and corrects educational content about noise transmission and building acoustics.
Policy version: July 2026
Purpose and Scope
The Soundproofing is an educational publication about domestic soundproofing, noise transmission, building elements and possible noise-control approaches. Its purpose is to help readers identify likely sound paths, understand relevant acoustic principles and compare options before deciding whether building work, product research or specialist investigation is appropriate.
Our commitments
- People first: content should help the reader make a better decision, not merely target a search query.
- Evidence in context: technical figures must be linked to the correct specimen, method and limitation.
- Clear uncertainty: where the evidence does not support a definite conclusion, the page should say so.
- Source, path and receiver: recommendations should follow diagnosis rather than assume one material or building element is responsible.
- Transparent relationships: the connection with The Soundproof Ltd and The Soundproof Windows is disclosed.
- No guaranteed silence: articles do not promise total noise elimination or a universal room reduction.
Publisher and Commercial Relationship
The Soundproofing
The Soundproofing is the educational publication. Its content is intended to remain useful even when no commercial product or service is required.
The Soundproof Ltd and The Soundproof Windows
The Soundproofing is published by The Soundproof Ltd. The same company also operates The Soundproof Windows, a separate commercial acoustic window and door business.
This relationship is relevant because some subjects overlap, particularly windows, glazing, doors, ventilation and environmental-noise diagnosis. The portal should not be described as independent of the publisher or its commercial business.
Editorial Principles
Accuracy before persuasion
Technical accuracy, relevant limitations and a clear distinction between evidence and opinion take priority over promotional language.
Original value
Where possible, guides add practical diagnostic observations, diagrams, methodology, installation detail or verified project evidence rather than repeating generic advice.
Appropriate ownership
The Soundproofing owns broad educational and diagnostic intent. Product, pricing, installation and enquiry-led content normally belongs on The Soundproof Windows.
Proportionate language
Words such as “soundproof” may be used as recognised search and product terms, but not as a promise of complete silence.
Source Hierarchy
Sources are selected according to the claim being made. More recent or authoritative evidence takes precedence where sources conflict.
| Priority | Source type | How it is used |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Current user-supplied or company information | Verified credentials, project records, specifications, surveys, photographs and current business information. |
| 2 | Original technical evidence | Test reports, measurement records, drawings, schedules and documented case evidence. |
| 3 | Official primary sources | Government guidance, legislation, local-authority information, standards bodies and official manufacturer documentation. |
| 4 | Professional and peer-reviewed sources | Acoustic methodology, research context and established technical explanations. |
| 5 | High-quality secondary sources | Background explanation where a primary source is unavailable or unsuitable for a general reader. |
| 6 | Competitor content | Comparison and gap analysis only; it is not treated as proof of a technical claim. |
How Content Is Developed
- Define the page purpose: identify the audience, dominant intent and the website that should own the topic.
- Check existing ownership: review whether an existing page should be updated, consolidated or repositioned rather than creating a duplicate.
- Map the questions: identify sources, transmission paths, building elements, decision criteria, objections and limitations.
- Gather evidence: use the source hierarchy appropriate to the subject and record conflicts or uncertainty.
- Draft for the reader: lead with a direct explanation, then provide diagnosis, alternatives, evidence and practical next steps.
- Review technical claims: check terminology, ratings, regulations, credentials, links and statements that could be interpreted as guarantees.
- Publish transparently: identify the publisher, reviewer where relevant, and any material commercial relationship.
Technical Review
Selected technical guides are reviewed by Sebastian Paszek where his verified experience is relevant. He holds the Institute of Acoustics Certificate of Competence in Environmental Noise Measurement, awarded in 2018.
His relevant technical experience includes site noise diagnostic surveys, environmental noise measurement, floor impact sound insulation testing, investigation of noise transmission in domestic properties, structural acoustic analysis for domestic properties, and acoustic assessment of windows, glazing and building openings.
What a technical review checks
- correct use of airborne, impact, structure-borne and flanking terminology;
- the distinction between laboratory, component, complete-system and field performance;
- whether a diagnostic recommendation considers the source, path and receiving room;
- whether installation, ventilation and adjoining construction are properly acknowledged;
- whether regulations, standards and qualifications are described accurately;
- whether numerical claims have suitable evidence and context;
- whether limitations and uncertainty are visible to the reader.
Authorship and Technical Review Are Different
An author develops or writes the content. A technical reviewer assesses relevant technical statements and limitations. A reviewer should not automatically be listed as the author, and a visible reviewer block should not imply that the reviewer personally tested every product or system mentioned.
Not every page requires named technical review. General navigation, legal, privacy and administrative pages may be maintained by the publisher without an acoustic reviewer.
Acoustic Claims and Measurements
Figures must describe what was actually measured or tested
The website does not present an Rw value, glazed-unit rating, door-leaf claim or laboratory specimen as a guaranteed reduction inside a particular room.
Where relevant, content distinguishes between:
- laboratory ratings for a tested specimen;
- glazed-unit or material data;
- complete-window or complete-doorset ratings;
- small-element data for ventilators and openings;
- predicted performance;
- field measurements in an installed building;
- measured change at a stated location;
- perceived change reported by occupants.
Case studies and project examples should state the method, relevant conditions and limitations. Prices, lead times, planning outcomes, guarantees and customer quotations are not invented.
Standards, Regulations and Health Information
Legal, planning, standards and health-related content is checked against current primary sources at the time of substantive review. The applicable edition, country and project context should be identified where they affect the advice.
- ISO 10140-1:2021 sets application rules for laboratory measurement of sound insulation of building elements and products.
- ISO 10140-2:2021 covers laboratory measurement of airborne sound insulation for building products including walls, doors, windows, façades, glazing and small technical elements.
- ISO 717-1:2020 defines single-number airborne sound-insulation ratings and spectrum adaptation terms.
- Approved Document E is used only within its published England scope.
- Approved Document F (2026) applies to work subject to the 2026 standards, while earlier versions continue to apply to qualifying projects.
- WHO environmental noise guidance may be used for population-level health context, not as an individual medical diagnosis.
Approved Documents provide guidance on ways to meet Building Regulations in England. They should not be presented as universal acoustic targets for every building or as substitutes for project-specific regulatory advice.
Commercial Links and Recommendations
Links within The Soundproofing are internal links. Links to The Soundproof Windows or SebastianPaszek.com are cross-site links and are used only where they add relevant information.
- Commercial links should be transparent and contextually useful.
- The same commercial link should not be inserted into every article.
- Natural anchor text is preferred over repeated exact-match phrases.
- The Soundproofing should not become a duplicate sales site.
- A guide should explain alternatives and likely failure points before referring to a product or service.
- No payment or commercial relationship changes the technical meaning of a claim.
Use of AI-Assisted Tools
AI-assisted tools may support research organisation, content outlining, editing, formatting, coding or comparison of supplied information. They are not treated as evidence and must not be used to invent measurements, test results, credentials, regulations, project outcomes, prices, quotations or sources.
Material technical claims should be checked against the original company record, test report, official source or relevant professional evidence. Human review remains necessary before publication.
Updates and Review Priorities
The publication does not promise that every page is reviewed on the same fixed annual date. Review priority is based on the likelihood and consequence of information becoming outdated.
| Content type | Review trigger |
|---|---|
| Regulations, planning and legal guidance | A new edition, amendment, consultation outcome or official guidance change. |
| Standards and test methods | A cited standard is revised, withdrawn or replaced. |
| Product or performance evidence | A specification, report, configuration or manufacturer source changes. |
| Technical guides | New evidence, repeated reader confusion, an identified error or a substantive content expansion. |
| Links and references | A broken link, moved document or changed source is identified. |
Where a visible publication, update or technical-review date is used, it should match the actual editorial record and any corresponding structured data.
Corrections and Feedback
Factual corrections, updated primary sources and reports of broken links are welcome. Use the contact page and identify the page, the statement in question and the supporting source.
Corrections are assessed against the available evidence. Minor typographical changes may be made without a correction note. Where a material correction changes the interpretation of technical advice, the page may include a visible update or correction statement.
Limitations of Published Guidance
- General content does not diagnose a specific property or noise complaint.
- A listed product or construction is not automatically suitable for another building.
- Laboratory evidence does not guarantee the same field result.
- Planning, listed-building, lease, fire, ventilation and Building Regulations requirements depend on the project.
- Medical, legal and regulatory matters may require suitably qualified project-specific advice.
- A technical review does not replace a survey, design, test or inspection where one is needed.
Technical review and publisher responsibility
Selected acoustic guides are technically reviewed by Sebastian Paszek. Editorial ownership, publication decisions, corrections and commercial disclosures remain the responsibility of The Soundproof Ltd as publisher.
Publisher note: This policy applies to editorial content published on The Soundproofing. It does not govern the commercial terms, quotations or project delivery processes of The Soundproof Windows.