New Toilet/Cistern

[Valmave]

We have just had a replacement toilet and cistern fitted. I asked the plumber why he had not re-connected the cistern overflow. He said that was no longer done. Apparently if there is a ball valve problem in the winter it freezes and causes worse problems. Seems unlikely to me. Any thoughts please ?

[HowardKennitby]

I thought most(all) modern cisterns had an internal overflow into the toilet.

[The Builder]

They all have an internal overflow now Val. If the level gets too high, it overflows into the flush mechanism and into the bowl.

It has certainly been known for (dripping) old type overflows to freeze at the outlet, then the water backs up the pipe and eventually the house.

[Valmave]

I guess my new cistern might be described as an "old type". It is separate from the toilet bowl and linked to it by a 90 degree pipe bend. It is not a close coupled unit.

[Old_Geezer]

The replacement probably overflows into the bowl regardless of the style. I was suprised when I first encountered no overflow too, but I trust the folk doing the job know what they are doing :-)

[johnk]

Hold the ball down and see what happens.

[methyl]

Have a look inside the cistern. You should see a vertical pipe or slot terminating just above the water level. If you pour water down this, it should appear in the toilet bowl.
The approach by @johnk is equally good.

A frozen overflow pipe is indeed a cause of big problems for what may have started as a "minor" dripping overflow. Slow-moving water freezes fast.