Czech said:
The ash pan on the Castile is outside (below) the firebox, so no, this is not the same as an 'air leak'. Air is drawn from the ash pan compartment through the burn pot air holes, it doesn't matter where the air comes from, either an open ash pan door, oak, cracks, etc. In fact, the ash pan compartment is not air tight at all, so why it would affect the burn is beyond me?
The air is drawn from outside the stove. Tis the reason, you can put an oak on your stove. Air then comes in through the bottom of the stove, then into the "Sealed compartment" that your burn pot sits in. When you pull your clean out rod, does it swing 2 plates? One is on the bottom of the pot the other to let the ash drop into the ash pan. The ash pan should also be sealed? Isn't there a gasket on it? Try opening your ash pan while your stove is running, and tell me what happens to the flame. The next time you have your ash pan out, look inside and you will not be able to see the actual burnpot, it should be in a consealed chamber that the air comes in. 100% of your air comes in through there so it can go through the holes in the burn pot.( Minus what your air wash brings in from the front of the glass) If it was just Open, the air would take the path of least resistance and just go out the flue, not even bothering to go through the pot. Every stove I have ever seen, has your air coming in through a chamber or channel, underneath or around the pot..
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the burn air should all come in through some sort of channel, every stove Manufacturer is a little different, but the idea stays the same. Not trying to prove anyone wrong, but air coming in thru the ash pan of any Quadrafire, would in fact be considered an air leak.