I'm in NY, near NYC, and I guess I could put a chain around the door
so it's effectively locked open and unclosable when I'm not using it.
Plus it'd be in a back yard that's surrounded by a fence. So no more
an attractive nuisance than a pool...

As far as rusting, if it didn't rust for 40 years in the basement,
including during a flood, and if being five feet from the furnace
didn't kill it...

But the problem with mildew could be an issue since the concrete under
the deck does mildew. Maybe I should look into moving it outside only
in the summer.

And Nate, I might take you up on your offer. You can find contact
info for me on my website www.BrainChampagne.com, and I'd be happy to
email photos if you're interested. It's a Hotpoint, white, around
five feet tall or a little shorter.