Valve apparatus for conducting a condensate of a laundry care appliance , in particular along a selected path, wherein - the valve apparatus has an intake for receiving the condensate and - at least one drain for draining the condensate , in particular to a component to be cleaned, - wherein the at least one drain has at least one valve with a movable flap , - wherein the flap is connected to a lever arm , to which a force can be transferred to the lever arm via a force action point (k i ) and can be transferred to the flap via a point of rotation (e) of an axis of rotation, so that the flap can be moved between an opened and a closed state of the at least one drain , wherein the valve can be actuated via a valve drive, wherein the valve drive is embodied as a linear actuator , which is connected to an actuating element , in particular via a joint , wherein the actuating element transfers the force and movement of the actuator to the lever arm at the force action point (k;), characterised in that the actuating element engages at a force action point (k i ) that can be displaced along the lever arm , wherein a guide is provided, which is embodied by an engagement of the actuating element on the lever arm along a bearing that is fixed on the lever arm , wherein the guide is configured to alter a spacing between the force action point (k i ) and the point of rotation (e) so that it is possible to alter a contact force and/or an actuating speed of the flap , in particular at a drain opening of the at least one drain , wherein the bearing on the lever arm is embodied as a through-opening or a groove, in which a pin of the actuating element is guided, and wherein the pin engages into a guide element , which due to its shape guides the movement of the pin in the through-opening or groove. - the valve apparatus has an intake for receiving the condensate and - at least one drain for draining the condensate , in particular to a component to be cleaned, - wherein the at least one drain has at least one valve with a movable flap , - wherein the flap is connected to a lever arm , to which a force can be transferred to the lever arm via a force action point (k i ) and can be transferred to the flap via a point of rotation (e) of an axis of rotation, so that the flap can be moved between an opened and a closed state of the at least one drain , wherein the valve can be actuated via a valve drive, wherein the valve drive is embodied as a linear actuator , which is connected to an actuating element , in particular via a joint , wherein the actuating element transfers the force and movement of the actuator to the lever arm at the force action point (k;), characterised in that the actuating element engages at a force action point (k i ) that can be displaced along the lever arm , wherein a guide is provided, which is embodied by an engagement of the actuating element on the lever arm along a bearing that is fixed on the lever arm , wherein the guide is configured to alter a spacing between the force action point (k i ) and the point of rotation (e) so that it is possible to alter a contact force and/or an actuating speed of the flap , in particular at a drain opening of the at least one drain , wherein the bearing on the lever arm is embodied as a through-opening or a groove, in which a pin of the actuating element is guided, and wherein the pin engages into a guide element , which due to its shape guides the movement of the pin in the through-opening or groove. <EOS>