Have a decent neighbor, retired, squared away, likes things neat. His back porch wood got rotten and he claims this is because the shade / humidity of the tree. Can that be true?
- The mildew was on the side closer to the tree, near the top, so I can see his perspective.
- But it also turns out the porch was made of wood that was not pressure treated.
- And the back porch is on the North, so there's maybe an hour in the morning when the sun is blocked.
- He's getting the porch replaced next week, to building code.
The tree extends about 18" over his property, about three feet from his porch.
If I trim it back more it'll just be bare branches on his side. If I remove the tree (which I'm willing to do if it's right), our small yard will lose a lot of green cover. We have other trees shading the back of our house and seem to do no damage.
Best Answer
It is almost certain your tree has very little to do with the condition of your neighbor's home. A couple of things to keep in mind however:
Your tree ceases being your tree when it crosses the property line [in the US]. You are neither responsible for trimming that portion of your tree nor can you prevent your neighbor from trimming right up to the line however they wish.
Retiree's tend toward removing trees as a general rule. It reduces maintenance and lawn care. That may be what your neighbor really wants.
North facing exposures [in the US and other Northern Hemisphere moderate climates] are most likely to support mold because they receive less sunlight regardless of tree cover.
Whatever you do, it may not make your neighbor happy. Some people are live and let live and others aren't.