Basis of Preparation and Nature of Operations (Detail)	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended																											0 Months Ended										1 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($) Segment	Sep. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Jan. 07, 2011	Sep. 30, 2013 6.625% Notes	Sep. 30, 2013 Zap Com Corporation	Jan. 07, 2011 Spectrum Brands	Sep. 30, 2013 Spectrum Brands	Sep. 30, 2012 Spectrum Brands	Jun. 16, 2010 Spectrum Brands	Sep. 30, 2013 Spectrum Brands 6.375% Senior Notes due 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2012 Spectrum Brands 6.375% Senior Notes due 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Spectrum Brands 6.375% Senior Notes due 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Spectrum Brands 6.625% Notes USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2012 Spectrum Brands 6.625% Notes USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Spectrum Brands 6.625% Notes USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Spectrum Brands Term Loan, due December 17, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2012 Spectrum Brands Term Loan, due December 17, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2012 Spectrum Brands Term Loan, due December 17, 2019 CAD	Sep. 30, 2013 Spectrum Brands Previous Term Loan Facility USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2012 Spectrum Brands Previous Term Loan Facility USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Spectrum Brands Previous Term Loan Facility USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Spectrum Brands Nine Point Five Percent Senior Secured Notes	Sep. 30, 2013 Salus Capital Partners LLC USD ($)	Feb. 14, 2013 Salus Capital Partners LLC USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Salus Capital Partners LLC Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary USD ($)	Sep. 23, 2013 Salus Capital Partners LLC Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2013 Salus Capital Partners LLC Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary USD ($)	Sep. 23, 2013 Salus Capital Partners LLC Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary Maximum USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2013 Salus Capital Partners LLC Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary Maximum USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Fidelity And Guaranty Life Holdings 6.375% Senior Notes, Due April 1, 2021 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 Fidelity And Guaranty Life Holdings 6.375% Senior Notes, Due April 1, 2021 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Fidelity And Guaranty Life Holdings 6.375% Senior Notes, Due April 1, 2021 USD ($)	Jun. 16, 2010 Russell Hobbs Inc	Jan. 01, 2013 Fgl Reinsurance Agreement With Fsr	Dec. 30, 2012 Fgl Reinsurance Agreement With Fsr USD ($)	Mar. 05, 2013 EXCO/HGI JV EXCO/HGI Partnership Credit Agreement USD ($)	Feb. 14, 2013 EXCO/HGI JV EXCO/HGI Partnership Credit Agreement USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 HGI USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 HGI USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 HGI 7.875% Senior Secured Notes, due July 15, 2019 USD ($)	Jul. 23, 2013 HGI 7.875% Senior Secured Notes, due July 15, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2012 HGI 7.875% Senior Secured Notes, due July 15, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 HGI 7.875% Senior Secured Notes, due July 15, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2012 HGI 10.625% Senior Secured Notes, due November 15, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 HGI 10.625% Senior Secured Notes, due November 15, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 HGI 10.625% Senior Secured Notes, due November 15, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 05, 2013 Cotton-Valley Oil and Gas Properties EXCO/HGI JV USD ($)	Mar. 05, 2013 Cotton-Valley Oil and Gas Properties HGI USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of common stock outstanding collectively held by principal stockholders		56.50%								40.00%																								100.00%
Voting interest		42.30%
Percentage of ownership interest acquired						97.90%
Percentage of common stock outstanding							54.50%
Equity interest issued or issuable, number of shares							119,910,000
Company' s beneficial ownership of outstanding common stock								59.20%	57.40%
Percentage Of Ownership Interest										65.00%
Noncontrolling interest percentage by parent				54.50%						35.00%
Secondary offering, shares	23,000,000
Secondary offering, price per share	$ 7.50
Debt, face amount												$ 520,000,000.0			$ 570,000,000.0		$ 1,150,000,000.00	$ 800,000,000.0	100,000,000.0													$ 300,000,000.0										$ 225,000,000	$ 700,000,000.0
Long-term debt, interest rate					6.625%						6.375%	6.375%	0.00%	6.625%	6.625%	0.00%				0.00%		5.10%	9.50%								6.375%	6.375%									7.875%		7.875%		10.625%		10.625%
Discharge of remaining outstanding																																													2,000,000
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity																		800,000,000	100,000,000.0																		470,000,000.0	400,000,000.0
Long-term debt		4,909,700,000	2,165,000,000								520,000,000		0	570,000,000		0				0	370,200,000	370,200,000									300,000,000								924,200,000	497,700,000	925,000,000				498,000,000		500,000,000
Reinsurance arrangment in percentage																																			10.00%
Reinsurance Recoverables, Gross																																				1,500,000,000
Asset-based loans		560,400,000	180,100,000																					167,000,000	331,100,000	331,100,000	300,000,000	175,500,000	550,000,000	250,000,000
Business combination, assets acquired																																																$ 97,400,000	$ 130,700,000
Number of reporting segments		4