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                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

                             WALTER INDUSTRIES, INC.
    CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002,
                             18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350

                        CERTIFICATION OF PERIODIC REPORT



I, Don DeFosset, Chief Executive Officer of Walter Industries, Inc. (the
"Company"), certify, pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002,
18 U.S.C. Section 1350, that:

     (1) the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Company for the quarterly
         period ended September 30, 2002 (the "Report") fully complies with the
         requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
         of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m or 78o(d)); and

     (2) the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
         material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of
         the Company.

Dated November 14, 2002


                                   /s/ Don DeFosset
                                   -----------------------------
                                   Don DeFosset
                                   Chief Executive Officer