Boiler Antifreeze Help and opinions

[bigealta]

I've read various thoughts on pros and cons about using antifreeze in a 1940's oil fired (converted from Coal) boiler with hot water cast radiators and some copper pipe runs mixed in to the loop.

Looking for your thoughts here.

I only use about 100 gallons a year and mostly only turn the boiler on to protect a short run of galvanized loop running in a poorly insulated small attic space. The 8x12 space under it is ground level walk out basement kitchen addition that never gets used and is heated by an oil filled electric heater to just keep it warm enough to protect the pipes from freezing. The rest of the house is heated by the woodstove when the oil heat is off.

My goal is to protect the loop in this attic from freezing and save some oil.

Thanks

 

[bigealta]

Anyone?

 

[Bad LP]

Anyone?

I don’t like it one bit but sometimes it’s all you got. In your case short of boxing your pipes in you have no choice. Even boxing the pipes in it’s a huge risk.
I managed property fulltime for 31 years for one family. All 3 houses down on Cape Cod had glycol systems. I built a home in northern Maine 17 years ago and I did not go with a glycol filled system knowing full well if the house freezes up over a failure of any sort we will likely be Jack hammering all of my first floor and both bathrooms up stairs plus all the domestic water lines.