Two winters ago, 314 Utahns suffered the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning and 23 died. While the count varies slightly year to year, carbon monoxide poisoning is preventable. And a coalition of experts hope to head the deaths and illnesses off entirely by urging awareness and proper precautions.

You cannot see or smell carbon monoxide, a gas that is a by-product of fossil fuel that's not completely burned during use. People have been injured and killed by auto exhaust in enclosed areas, but also by small gas engines, camp lanterns and stoves, gas ranges and furnaces, among other sources.

It can happen any time of year, and people should be diligent all the time, but the numbers shoot up in the winter, when houses are more likely to be sealed too tight, furnace vents are blocked by snow, people warm up cars in closed garages or they try to save money by using alternative heat sources. Marty Malheiro of the Utah Poison Control Center says the number of carbon-monoxide incoming calls will start to go up.

Infants, unborn babies, the elderly and people with respiratory challenges are at greatest risk, she says, so the center and experts from Questar Gas, the Unified Fire Authority and the state's health department want everyone to know symptoms of CO poisoning. Those include chronic or severe headaches and dizziness — especially if they're shared by those living together — nausea, vomiting and fatigue. Symptoms that quit when you leave and come back when you return are a real warning, she says.

Everyone should have carbon monoxide detectors on the different levels of their home. And Darren Shepherd, spokesman for Questar, says customers need to have a professional inspect their natural gas equipment. "It's clean and safe," but only if the furnace or water heater are operating properly. An expert needs to see that the right air and fuel mix exists, that the vent is clear and the byproducts are venting out. Questar recommends finding technicians certified by the Rocky Mountain Gas Association.

There are many different carbon monoxide detectors on the market. It's important to have one that is UL (Underwriter's Laboratory) approved, Malheiro says. Shepherd points out as well that some older ones work fine but are highly sensitive and can even be set off at 9 parts per million to 15 parts per million — which can happen when outside air comes in during an inversion. The best detectors have a monitor that shows the reading and helps you understand what it means. New detectors sample the air every minute and check a couple of times so they don't go off if levels are dropping. If the monitor goes off intermittently, you might unplug it briefly, change the batteries and reset it to see if it does it again. But don't waste time. If it's persistent, get out, then call for help. And get medical attention immediately if you are dizzy, light-headed or nauseous and think CO might be at fault.

Levels are cumulative during an exposure; there's danger quickly at high levels, but low-level exposure over hours poses danger, too.

Shepherd warns that as snow starts to fly, people need to be sure they leave their furnace vents uncovered so they can get the right mix of air to help the furnace operate. Sometimes, people see vents as a pathway for cold air to get in and they block it, which is dangerous.

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